Knits and crochet have been trending for the past few seasons. Especially the kind of knits that feel handmade – it feeds into the general Cottagecore aesthetic.
I’d been searching for a knitted or crochet sweater that I could wear throughout summer – it had to be in a light color palette, but also have some kind of element that made it stand out. Then I found Hope Macaulay.
I first found out about the rising fashion designer Hope Macaulay on Instagram, where her chunky, luxurious knits spun out of pastel yarns were endlessly regrammed. And though she makes other pieces, such as eccentrically printed tees and tops, even skirts, bags and accessories, it’s her knitwear that truly stands on its own.
Hope Macaulay’s sweaters are literally like a wearable dream – you’re probably seen supersized chunky blankets before, but nothing compares to Macaulay’s sweaters. The silhouettes are oversized, as is the yarn, which combines together to bring together a fully whimsical vibe. I’ve never seen a sweater quite as chunky as a Hope Macaulay sweater, and the structure itself is so intense that her pieces literally hold their shape. If you love knits and have ever wanted to own a piece of fashion that mirrors art, this is it. Her sweaters have a highly editorial look.
Possibly her most popular piece, I’m partial to the Bella Colossal Knit, which has a cropped shape and balloon sleeves and comes in a mix of mint, mustard and dusty pink acrylic yarns.
The Bella Colossal Knit, like all of Hope Macaulay’s pieces, is entirely handmade. When I ordered it from her online shop (she currently has such a high demand she can only open weekly for minutes until she receives the maximum number of orders she can produce with her small team) it took about three weeks from the time I ordered to receive it.
I’ve been wearing it over little sundresses and silky cami tops with don’t have straps. This is the perfect knit for summer, because of the light colors and fun shape. When I tell you it’s really the most unique sweater I’ve ever owned, I mean it: even my boyfriend, who isn’t into fashion, was enchanted by it and kept wanting to touch it.
The design is based on one of the original supersized sweaters from the line: the Original Super Colossal Knit Jacket. This option is even more chunky and the colors are a bit brighter. It’s knitted from 100% jumbo merino wool, rather than acrylic.
I love supporting emerging brands, but even more so when they are doing things that are quite different. Hope Macaulay is intrinsically sustainable since she’s producing in small batches and only producing on a made-to-order basis. She’s based in Northern Ireland and works with a small team of knitters to create her pieces. As for her non-knitwear styles, she works with her own collages and painting and transforms them into the wildly colorful prints you see on her dresses, tops and bags.
Next up, I’m planning to purchase her Alice Chunky Knit Cardigan, which has these incredibly oversized sleeves and comes in a patchwork of pink, green and yellow. The giant crystal buttons and general shape just scream ’80s cool and it’s also made out of merino wool (the absolute softest). Halsey actually wore this style in her “Road To Manic” series on Youtube.
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