| Interview with Designer Louisa Harding |
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| Written by Deborah Knight |
 With over 20 years of experience, Louisa Harding is considered one of the finest knitting pattern designers in the world. She was taught to knit by her grandmother at age six, but when she earned a degree in “Textiles for Fashion” at Brighton, she thought she would become a printed textile designer. Fortunately for knitters worldwide, she quickly fell in love with the creativity of hand knitting where every knitted stitch can control the shape of the garment. She still loves to explore how stitch combinations can change the shape of the fabric. KnitchMagazine is delighted to share with you Louisa’s story.Knitch: Can you tell us how your career got started? Louisa: As a child I always loved making things with fabric. As a result, I studied textiles for fashion at university. During the third year at college I spent an internship at Rowan Yarns, who published two of my very early designs in Rowan Magazine number 6. After I graduated I worked for an American Hand Knit ready to wear designer for six months. When I returned to the UK in November 1990, Kathleen Hargreaves the design room manager at Rowan asked if I could help out until Christmas. I worked at Rowan as an in-house designer, ultimately becoming the designer and brand co-ordinatior for Jaeger Handknits until my son Oscar was born in 2001. I then worked as a freelance designer, developing the Miss Bea series of books then was approached to create my own yarn line in 2005.  Knitch: What motivated you to begin your own lines of yarns and patterns?Louisa: In 2005, I was asked by an America company, Knitting Fever, if I would be interested in starting a partnership with them. They knew of my work with Jaeger Handknits and the Miss Bea books and knew that I had the experience of developing yarns and designs. They approached me regarding introducing my own yarn collection. This is a designers dream come true. With this fabulous opportunity it was my ethos from the start to introduce a very feminine line of yarns. The colours and yarns are developed so that they reflect the trends in the fashion ready to wear market. The palettes are put together the way that women approach putting their wardrobes together: they have to speak to us as women. Knitch: Can you tell us what inspired your Spring 2009 collection? Louisa: Every season I work around an inspiration theme, which as a trained designer is very important to do. This Spring Summer the collections were inspired by our family holiday to the South of France. While we were there we saw lots of vintage travel posters from the 1920’s and 30’s. I loved the stylized images of these posters, so the collections were designed around the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements -- Nouveau being fluid and soft, Deco being graphic and bright. I use each season’s inspiration source to influence my color and yarn choices, the designs that I develop, right through to the look and feel of the photography and the way that the books are laid out. Knitch: You are famous for your original patterns for both adults and children. Where do you look for inspiration for each of these? Louisa: Without having an inspiration source to work from you can not innovate new ideas and techniques. When I research a new seasons collection I may see a motif or garment construction and then try to replicate it using the medium of hand knitting, such as the drop waist dress ‘Celine’ from Nouveau. I also like to work with muses in mind when I am designing. I like to think of the women who wear my designs as women with a certain sensibility, creative and independent. My children are obviously my muses when it comes to designing children’s garments. They were the catalyst behind the Miss Bea collection of books. My daughter Belle is Miss Bea. Now eight, she has very clear ideas what she and her peer group would like to be wearing. As they have grown the children’s collections have grown with them.  Knitch: Do you have any particular goals when developing a design? Louisa: Fit is the most important element to me when designing a garment. Having been trained in pattern cutting and grading, I think that if a women is going to spend her precious time knitting and creating a garment then it is my job and skill as a designer to ensure that the garment fits and flatters the female form. I love the challenge of using knitwear in unexpected ways to change the fit or drape of the knitted stitch. I like to keep pushing myself with design, it is important to keep it exciting and fresh. Knitch: What has been your most popular design to date? Why do you think knitters responded to it so well? Louisa: This is a difficult question to answer. I think that would have to be voted for by the knitting public, especially as this year I celebrate 20 years since I had my first designs published in September 1989. There are quite a few to choose from. Knitch: Outside of the knitting community, who do you admire most? Louisa: I really admire the film director Baz Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin, the production designer of the films they collaborate on. As I work with my husband, I can relate to how important it is to have another person to discuss all elements of your work with -- someone who will challenge you and get the best from you. I admire their originality, their way of story telling using every visual sense. I really admire true creativity in all individuals, whether it is a beautifully realized film or a beautifully knitted garment or accessory. Knitch: Can you tell us what you foresee for fashion in the future? Louisa: Looking forward to the fashion trends I think that there will be a return to beautiful fibres, luxury blends, silks, cashmeres. If a knitter is going to spend precious time knitting then it should be the most beautiful yarn she is working with. We are moving out of the “throw away”  phase of fashion and are looking to yarns and designs that are individually classic. Knitch: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself? Louisa: I, like many other working women, know the juggle of every day so I am very thankful to be able to do what I do. I see it as a privilege. Design, quality and inspiration are the key elements to my collections. I am very grateful to the female creative genes passed down to me through my family and to the creative women around me who support me, they are my muse. Many thanks to Louisa for providing KnitchMagazine readers with insights into her design philosophy. We appreciate the opportunity to learn more about how she approaches the fine art of knitting pattern design. |
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