Inis Meain Knitwear
'Warmth from the edge of the world'
Inis Meain's knitwear collections reflect this concept beautifully. Inis Meain's origin is at the heart of the brand aswell as being it's location as one of the Aran Isles, facing into the Atlantic Ocean.
We welcome the return of this unique artisan maker to Manchester, some may recall our previous collaboration across several seasons. It is therefore with some pride that we reintroduce one of our best loved brands to provide that 'warmth' once again, for Autumn and especially for Winter 2024.
Formed in 1976 by husband and wife Tarlach and Aine, the Inis Meain knitting company has always found design inspiration in the island's landscape and it's inhabitants. It's modus operandi is a continuation of traditional daily life, best described by the company :
'For centuries, the fishermen’s garments have been designed, knitted and woven by the women of the island. Stitches that have evolved through the generations reflect the unique island environment: turbulent, amazing seas and skies, wild flora and labyrinths of stone walls. They are all echoed in the diamonds, cables, tree of life, moss and other patterns'.
Overall a feeling of authenticity can't help but seep into each unique piece.
The Inis Meain collection of 2024 however offers an elevated retelling of these traditional island tales in the form of exquisite knitwear which is coveted by a growing number of selective retailers, globally.
The elevation comes from collaborations with partners who also create unparalleled products, heightening the luxury of each piece.
For example our entire AW24 capsule is composed of a special cashmere blend. In their own words Inis Meain describe this collection's cloth:
'Now crafted with super-premium Cashmere and Merino yarn from Italian heritage producer, Filati Biagioli Modesto, made to the highest European environmental standards using only organic dyes'.
So our new collection comprises four knitwear styles. Three of these are stitched in the 'Breidin' style, a style we haven't seen before. Breidin is the Irish word for tweed and you can see that in the blue and brown colourways which are trimmed in contrasting tones like deep navy or cream.
We have one other piece which is a total classic for the Inis Meain look and real standout of our Winter collection. It's made in the donegal pattern which we've stocked plenty of in the past & it was really popular. So we stuck to navy for what we hope is an evergreen crowd pleaser.
We also bought some hats and scarves which are particularly distinctive and effective for winter warming!
We always did really well with these colourful accessories whether sold seperately or as matching sets. This time around, with the quality of the fabrics upped, these pieces are going to be very satisfying to wear when the big chill hits!
What makes pieces these so successful?
It's two things.
Initially the colours attract the eye. The base colours are always distinctive - we chose a plain orange because it is just stands out and we need pops of colour for our Winter looks.
Additionally with Inis Meain's donegal patterns the flecks that you get are so unique and add so much richness to your seasonal palettes.
The other successful element is the ribbed design.
This is a such a warming feature. You can really wrap yourself or someone else quite securely with the soft but ribbed texture.
So it just works!
;-)
