January 26, 2018 |
After three brilliant seasons, Matty Bovan is spreading his wings and flying the Fashion East nest. And like any fledgling, such a move does not come without a tinge of trepidation, but thankfully a soft landing is now all but guaranteed following the announcement that Wool and the Gang will be supporting Bovan’s debut solo outing in London, come the 16th February. We never doubted him. For anyone not into DIY knitting kits, that is the raison d’être of Wool and the Gang – think of those Gousto meal boxes but instead of sorting out dinner, they provide everything needed for a nice woollen cardy. Not a bad dieting option come to think of it…
Over the course of his London showings, Bovan has developed a reputation for his innovative use of yarn and knitwear, something he is only looking to expand upon in light of this collaboration. Speaking to Ten, he talked of why he values the material so highly- both for its increasing technological potential and its timeless nature. “I see it almost becoming like 3D printing, where you will be able to print off your own garments – the possibilities are endless…What’s great with knitting is you can create your own fabric unique to your ideas, with hand knit or crochet you don’t even need any machinery and I really like the ancient quality to all those skills.” Given his life-long interest in the material and process (he’s been knitting since the age of 11), the collaboration with Wool and the Gang was a natural one, “I’ve always loved using their yarns and it seems like such a great fit. They understand the knitwear element to my label and they’ve really embraced how we are working together.” As part of the collaboration, Wool and the Gang will be releasing a special knit kit with Matty, giving you the opportunity to knit your very own bespoke Bovan.
Photograph by Jason Lloyd-Evans at Matty Bovan AW17
