Renaissance
- Object:
- Place of origin:
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
Fassett, Kaffe, born 1937 (designer)
Hunt, Zoe (maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
Hand-knitted in natural and synthetic yarns
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
- Image in copyright
The designer Kaffe Fassett used a variety of textured yarns in muted colours to create this magnificent coat. It was hand-knitted by Zoe Hunt. Predominantly worked in stocking stitch, it reveals Fassett’s unorthodox, creative and highly influential approach to design. The shaping of this ankle-length garment with full sleeves draws upon Renaissance and Eastern dress.
Kaffe Fassett was born in San Francisco and came to live in England in 1964. An art student, he did not begin knitting until his late twenties. His early commercial collections were commissioned by Missoni and Bill Gibb.
Fassett typically uses geometric patterns in a rich palette of different hues. He summed up his philosophy of colour in an interview in Vogue Knitting International in 2002: 'Why limit yourself to just one shade of red when you can use 17?'
Physical description
Hand-knitted in natural and synthetic yarns and in muted colours, primarily worked in stocking stitch. Ankle length with huge sleeves.
Place of Origin
Great Britain, UK (made)
Date
1979 (made)
Artist/maker
Fassett, Kaffe, born 1937 (designer)
Hunt, Zoe (maker)
Materials and Techniques
Hand-knitted in natural and synthetic yarns
Dimensions
Length: 134.5 cm neck to hem, Width: 143 cm arms outstretched
Descriptive line
Knitted evening coat, designed by Kaffe Fassett, Great Britain, 1979
Exhibition History
Knit One, Purl One (Victoria and Albert Museum 01/01/1985-31/12/1985)
The Cutting Edge: 50 Years of British Fashion (Victoria and Albert Museum 01/01/1997-31/12/1997)
Labels and date
A variety of textured yarns in muted colours were used to create this magnificent coat. Predominantly worked in stocking stitch, it reveals the designer's unorthodox, creative and highly influential approach to design. The shaping of this ankle-length garment with full sleeves draws upon Renaissance and Eastern dress. It was hand-knitted by Zoe Hunt for Kaffe Fassett. [1997]
'RENAISSANCE' SLEEVE COAT
Hand-knitted natural and man-made fibres
British: Kaffe Fasset, 1979
This magnificent coat has been produced by the skilful use of colour and a wide variety of yarns of different thicknesses and textures - snarls, gimps, bouclés etc. Ankle length, with huge sleeves, the shape is loosely based on that of Eastern dress. It is knitted in stocking stitch in separate panels. The order of the stripes, and organic patterning on the front and back yokes, evolved as the knitting progressed. The neck and front of the coat, edge to edge without fastenings, are finished with a band knitted in a fancy diagonal rib. The lower edge (of the coat) is hemmed and the cuffs are ribbed.
Kaffe Fassett's intuitive method of working and disregard for accepted rules have revolutionised attitudes towards hand-knitting.
The coat was knitted for Kaffe Fassett by Zoe Hunt
T.354-1980 [1985]
Production Note
Hand-knitted by Zoe Hunt for Kaffe Fasset
Materials
Yarn
Techniques
Hand knitted
Categories
Clothing; Fashion
Collection code
T&F
