Annie Larson + Print All Over Me
The knitter extraordinaire joins the online collaboration platform for a summery collection full of crossword puzzles and smiley faces
Brooklyn-based Annie Larson’s ALL Knitwear line has become much-loved for its high-contrast colors and chaos of patterns. Each sweater is made to order by Larson herself, on her knitting machine. For those who can’t wait until fall or winter to be bundled up in a vibrant Larson creation, there’s actually some good news. The designer was recently approached by DIY platform Print All Over Me (PAOM) for a summery knit-free capsule collection that’s playful and pure Larson. Featuring prints that range from crossword puzzles to smiley faces and palm trees, Larson’s collection of apparel hits the perfect balance between casual and statement-making.
“It’s the first time I’ve formally designed patterns for non-knitwear apparel since I founded ALL Knitwear [in 2010],” Larson tells CH. “I’ve primarily been working on sweaters for the past five years, though I did break for a collaboration with Baggu in 2013 for which I designed a collection of color-blocked accessories. Before I started knitting, I designed juniors’ and men’s apparel for Target, so I had a totally different experience at the beginning of my career.”
Larson, who has a very hands-on approach for designing her sweaters, had a similarly offline process for creating this PAOM collection. “I make all of my decisions from swatches and spend a lot of time organizing them on the body,” Larson says of her process. “I don’t spend much time on the computer, except when I’m designing the patterns to transfer to my knitting machine.” She continues, “All of the prints for the PAOM collection are collages and most of the content came from physical objects—newsprint, printed acetate, clothing. I like to see the human touch in products, even when they rely on sophisticated technology to carry out the final designs.”
“The patchwork design is a collage of all my favorite T-shirts, laid out to resemble a crazy quilt,” says Larson. “I am guilty of treasuring items purely for sentimental reasons and I like to collect things, to revisit them over time. I think crazy quilts are a lovely way to repurpose old clothing, and the result is a cozy, new object that memorializes items from your own personal history. I wish I had time to make a real one!”
The Annie Larson collaboration launches today on Print All Over Me, who have just finished up their site relaunch. Check out other recent collaborations on PAOM, from black and white urban camouflage with Snarkitecture and burger-themed bags and beach towels with New York Magazine.
Images courtesy of PAOM
