Loop de Loop

Homegrown and homemade are key terms in today’s societal shifts. This edition’s article ‘Design Implants’ addresses the former, and here we look at the latter.

Adding a personal touch to an item, making something more individual in a time where the masstardization of design and the activity of overconsumption run rampant, is growing in popularity.

Like large firms are using brandividuals to make communicating with corporate mammoths more personable, designers are bringing the human element back to reality. “The social web thrives on personality, mixing a ‘personal touch’ with a professional service,” says Abbey Klaassen from Ad Age. Continuing she writes, “Maybe the idea of the brandividual isn't so new, but rather a return to a mom-and-pop era.” Klaassen quotes Lara Kretler, associate VP at Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations, “Back then, we didn't do business with a business; we did business with a person, I think we're coming full circle back to that point.”

Knitting is a pastime associated with the era of mom and pop shops. And boy do we see knitting everywhere: from the guerilla styles to thirty-somethings practicing the hobby in the metro—not to mention the new creations spotted in this gallery from multiple shows in Berlin and Milan.

Andrea Brena has an inspiring design process along these lines. Brena aims to enhance the connection between users and their products by having them play an integral part in the making of the items. “Arm knitting” is fun and anyone can learn it after a few minutes of show and tell. The examples seen within this gallery are knit with leftover fabric scraps.

Jooyeon Lee’s and Hanna Tjukanov’s lounge chairs, known under the name Joohanna, also consider waste. Rather than use excess materials in upholstery, they have a new approach. Tjukanov uses knit chunky wool yarns on a steel frame; the flexibility of the textile creates comfort in seating without the need for all of foam, fabrics, and glue. Under the same concept, Lee utilizes woven linen strings around a wooden frame.

Grab some knitting needles, or your arm, and have a go! Or contact the lovely talents featured here.

—The Trendease Team