Knitwear designer casts-off online
Contemporary knitted headwear and collars created by an Oxon-based designer are just some of the items that will soon be available to purchase on a new website that is hoping to give High Street fashion a run for its money.
From Witney, Jools Elphick creates colourful, textured and innovative items that are full of character. Having studied knitted and woven textiles at Winchester School of Art, Jools went on to work in a Knit/Weave Atelier in Amsterdam where she honed her garment making skills. Her specific area of interest is Anthropology, Theatre/Costume and Fashion (circa 1920 – 1940) which provides much of the inspiration for her work, whilst her design skills inform the finished piece.
Jools has exhibited work at home and abroad and, testament to the quality of her work, she was invited to produce two exclusive Autumn/Winter Collections for Fortnum & Mason (Piccadilly) in 2003/4 and has sold her work internationally. She will soon be selling her products on Fashion Killerz, an exciting website where every item has been individually designed and produced by talented people who have a real passion for what they do. Jools will be selling her headwear alongside the work of other designers - from around the UK and beyond - including clothing, jewellery and accessories.
The site, fashionkillerz.com, is due to be launched early in September and will be open to anyone creating handmade fashion items. The site is a great platform for designers to showcase and sell their products on an international scale but, more importantly, it will offer customers a one-stop shop where they can browse and buy unique and original items - many of which will be one-of-a-kind. So no more worrying that you will bump into someone wearing the same outfit as you!
Jools’ interest in creating headwear began in 1986, after making a very intricate piece of knitting involving very expensive pure silk yarn which didn‘t quite go to plan. She explained: “I’d intended making the waistband for a jacket I was designing, however, the piece wasn’t wide enough for this purpose and, after playing around with the sample, I decided it looked better on my head! I then began to ‘build’ it by grafting it back onto the knitting machine and generally playing about with it until it fitted onto my head and basically wouldn’t fall off... I exhibited at Chelsea Crafts Fair in 1986 and it proved to be a hit.
“I decided then to focus on producing one-off sculptural Head-Dresses, as these give me creative satisfaction, then developed my ideas to include the eveningwear/daywear and special occasion designs which I continue to produce today.”
Considering herself more akin to an artist or sculptor than a knitwear designer, Jools’ designs are labour intensive, taking anything from a day to several weeks to complete. The fabric (although knitted on the machine) is hand-grafted and hand-finished using a variety of yarns and as the work develops, Jools is often surprised at the result!
Jools added: “I was really pleased to hear about the launch of Fashion Killerz, which looks set to offer an extravaganza of fashion items that will have widespread appeal and it offers an additional outlet from which to promote and sell my work amongst that of other great designers.”
Website creator, Michele Turner commented: “Fashion Killerz has already attracted around 50 designers and I’m hoping even more will come on board. Selling their work in one exciting location means that customers visiting the site will have a truly exciting shopping experience where they can find exclusive items that will really make them stand out from the crowd. Jools’ work is amazing; very innovative and unique, and fits perfectly with the ethos of the site which promotes creativity and individuality. I’m delighted that she is joining us.”
Prior to the launch of the site, Fashion Killerz has its own page on Facebook where you can take a sneak preview of some of the awesome items designers will be selling and by becoming a fan, you will be among the first to get updates on newly listed products.
If you are a designer who has something fresh to offer the fashion world, contact admin@fashionkillerz.com. Or just visit the Facebook page and see what you think.
