The inspiring story of famous British designer of knitted clothing Kaffe Fasset every time makes me think about how important it is to follow the dictates of your heart in life. How difficult it is to understand what you want to do in life, decide on a profession and move forward, overcoming obstacles and troubles. How many people would like to be creative, but very few achieve, I will not say success, but at least the level in their professional activities when they are able to provide financially for themselves and their family, while doing their favorite creative work.
My close friend gave up a prestigious job as a sociologist at a well-known Italian firm and decided that it was time to fulfill her childhood dream of drawing. At the age of 35, she left her job, moved to another country, entered an art school, and graduated from an art academy. She participated in several exhibitions, but drew more for herself, earning a living as a part-time waitress in a local cafe. Years passed, and she was forced to return to her country and look for work again in sociology, where, alas, no one was waiting for her. Few people can afford to live in art for the sake of art... I know a lot of similar stories! A close friend who left his job as a hotel manager for phography. Another friend who quit her job as a public relations manager for the Spanish government to become a yoga coach. None of my friends were able to arrange their lives in such a way that their favorite business still brought money. They had the ability, the desire, the dream, the purpose, the experience, and, most importantly, the savings that allowed them to stay afloat for a certain time.
All the more inspiring for me is the Kaffe Fasset's example. Today's publication is dedicated to him and his knitted tweed jacquard products!
I hope this publication will inspire you to create your own knitted products!
Kaffe Fasset was born in San Francisco in 1937. At the age of 18, he received a prestigious scholarship from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, but after three months of study, he fled to London to draw. Since 1964, he has lived in the UK.
During a tour of a Scottish factory producing tweed yarn for knitting, he was struck by the fact that the color of the landscape was repeated in the colors of the yarn produced by this factory. He bought twenty skeins of wool in different colors and a pair of knitting needles at once. Legend has it that on the train on the way back, a random fellow traveler taught him the basic techniques of knitting.
His first knitted creation appeared on the spread of VOGUE magazine.
At the beginning of his career, Kaffe created textile models for the Missoni fashion house and collaborated with the famous designer Bill Gibb. Kaffe's unique knits were purchased by Barbra Streisand, John Schlesinger, Alan Bergman, and the Princess of Kent.
In 1985, Kaffe created his needlework project on English television, "Shingle Mill". In the course of this project, he invited everyone to send him a copy of his work on a piece of cloth no larger than 10 by 10 cm. More than 2,600 pieces were sent! An extraordinary panel created by Kaffe from the scraps sent is on display in the Royal castles of Great Britain. At the same time, the British Council invited Kaffe to host a daytime show on TV, to which he invited the most famous designers in England. It was then that Kaffe discovered the magic of multicolored knitted patterns for tens of thousands of knitting enthusiasts in the UK.
Kaffe's works are in the collections of museums in the UK, Sweden, Denmark, the USA, and Japan. By the way, in Japan, Kaffe created a collection of quilts for the British Council exhibition.
Kaffe creates knitted models for Rowan and Vogue knitting magazines.
Keiff Fassett has written his name in the world's fashion history as a talented and extraordinary fashion designer who creates real works of art with his own hands.