Get Some Craig On Yer…

It wasn't so long ago that the knitwear designer Craig Lawrence sent sirens and mermaids washed up onto the shore with Kyototex yarns trailing over the rocks for S/S 11 but today, Lawrence launches a mini collection for my go-to spots for hunting out new designer/statement piece, Machine-A, his one and only UK stockist.  Trailing on beaches in gowns which make your legs move in dainty mini steps is a lovely thing indeed but girls gotta move and Lawrence's particular dishevelled and raw knitwear can indeed be adapted for those requiring more limber movement. And so we have a collection of crop tops, leggings cycling shorts, shorter dresses together with long and short gloves that in their black and gold palette echo something of his A/W 10-11 collection but with their unfinished threads and draped strands reference S/S 11's techniques.  The wiry quality of the metallic Kyototex yarns make them look delicate and with the loose and slightly freehand way that Lawrence knits, you might look at the pieces and think they're quite delicate but have a good tug on them and the knit itself is actually quite resilient.  In any case, the point is that there's a real labour of love in each of these hand knitted pieces that makes me all the more grateful that they're now available in a grab-and-buy form.  I notoriously don't try things on in-stores and pieces like the cycling shorts or a crop top, knowing that I can layer them over vests, shorts or tights are weirdly enough a no-brainer.  Prices range from ¬£80 (for the gloves) up to ¬£800 which doesn't make this a diffusion line in the strictest sense but definitely is a step for Lawrence into turning his progressive work into a label that can grow beyond pieces that look great in motion in a fashion film or on a mannequin with a wind machine behind it. 

Looking for a Crimbo frock?  All nans will love the shimmering Kyototex yarns in this little number…

Gold I say… more GOOOOOLLLLD! 

Sadly, it's dropped quite a few degrees today and so the idea of stripping down to try on clothes didn't appeal…instead, I looked tothese fingerless armwarmers and gloves for extra warmth with added value sheen!

Craig and I are going for gold in his window where right about now, me thinks he may be doing some sort of interpretative dance in amongst the streamers and balloons for all of Berwick Street to se…

VIPs only, yes?  If ur name's not on the list, ur not comin' in…

If you require evidence of how Craig's new pieces on hangers transfer to bods in one cool swoop, look no further than these images shot by Morgan O'Donovan for Dazed Digital and styled by Kim Howells.

In other Craig-related news, whilst I was in Berlin last week, I unfortunately missed House of Organza's second round of special objets, this time entitled 'Adorn' featuring original works by Fred Butler, Judy Blame, Piers Atkinson, Dr. Noki as well as these cuffs by Craig Lawrence, modelled here by Jourdan Dunn in a still from an accompanying film by Jez Tozer.