Josephine Nathan Launches “She Knits” at L’Oreal Fashion Festival
 

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Woolliwoolli designer Josephine Nathan launches an exciting new collaboration with Cleckheaton - one of Australia’s most established pattern book and knitting yarn companies.

“She Knits” is a knit pattern book targeted at the new wave of knitting fanatics who are driving the current trend in DIY handmade style. The book will be launched at an event during the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural Program on 26 February 2008.

Jo Nathan has spent over a decade working in the textile industry, establishing a reputation as a creator of unique and original fashion. With an eye for colour and a passion for natural fibres such as Australian Merino wool, Jo has the belief that true beauty is found in hand crafted designs.

Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has been working with Josephine Nathan over the past 3 years supporting the growth of her label woolliwoolli showcasing her clever and innovative use of Australian Merino wool at trade events locally and internationally.

Taught by her mother and grandmother, Jo learnt to knit at a young age and later developed skills in garment making and sewing. This led her to pursue a career in fashion. In 2001 she established her own knitwear label “woolliwoolli” designing and producing machine knitted collections using 100 per cent Australian Merino wool. The label has since become internationally renowned and has been exhibited in Hong Kong, Paris, London, Milan, Shanghai, Delhi, Sydney and Melbourne.

With the “She Knits” collection of 12 original designs, Jo Nathan returns to her first textile love, hand knitting. Working with Cleckheatons superior yarns, Country Silk and Studio Mohair, Jo has created a unique range of contemporary garments for the young, modern knitter. From small simple projects for the beginner knitter to pieces that offer a challenge for the more experienced, “She Knits” gives anyone with a passion for fashion the opportunity to create their own designer garment.

Jo believes that once young knitters have worked with quality Merino, they will be reluctant to work with anything else. “There really is no other fibre like Merino wool to work with, especially when hand knitting. Merino wool is soft, smooth, and has a suppleness which is very forgiving. It just feels really good”.

Cleckheaton began its Australian history in 1948, when an Australian knitwear manufacturer, Mr Fred James, travelled to Yorkshire, England to purchase fine pure wool worsted yarn, which had been in continual shortage in Australia. He bought the yarn as well as an entire worsted spinning mill, Cleckheaton Ltd.

For the past two decades Cleckheaton has developed a status and position of a premium quality brand that exports Australian yarns and designs all over the globe.

Cleckheaton’s concentration on natural fibres and blends with an Australian pedigree has established a loyal following throughout Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.

The DIY Fashion revolution continues, and hand knitting is an integral part of the trend. “She Knits” embraces the movement, encouraging and inspiring the act of creation.

“She Knits” will be available in all good yarn stores as of the 21st of February 2008.

Jo Nathan has just completed a second collection of unique hand knit designs, which have been created with a 100 per cent Australian Merino yarn, called Merino Deluxe. The collection will be published under the Patons label, owned by Australian Country Spinners who also own the Cleckheaton label. This publication will be launched later in 2008.

* For more information on She Knits stockists go to - www.cleckheaton.biz
    * For more information on Australian Merino wool go to - www.merinoinnovation.com
    * For more information on Jo Nathan and woolliwoolli go to - www.woolliwoolli.com

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