Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia

A collaboration with MFA Fashion Design and Society students at Pitti Filati, Florence, July 2011

During the summer Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia presented an installation of work by three students from the MFA Fashion Design and Society. A collaboration of innovation and heritage, the exhibition featured 12 garments that express the quality and value of the versatile and natural fibres produced by the company.

The three designers, Noriko Kikuchi, Sinead Lawlor and Talia Shuvalov had the opportunity to visit Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia and gain knowledge and access to the yarn production from the raw material to the final product. They designed their collections from stitch development, color combination, sillhoette, toiling, fitting and all aspects of garment making.

Noriko Kikuchi

“My collection incorporates techniques such as hand knitting, darning and embroidery. I experimented with mixing multiple ends of different yarns in various textures and colors, by both hand knitting and machine knitting, including aspects of felting. The melting and merging together of the yarns helped to create a softer color tone, almost like oil painting, as well as a soft hand feel. I used exaggerated chunky honeycomb cables mixed with fine gauge lacey machine knitting to give depth in terms of textures, and incorporated mesh knitting to add airy effects to the garments”.

“My collection incorporates techniques such as hand knitting, darning and embroidery. I experimented with mixing multiple ends of different yarns in various textures and colors, by both hand knitting and machine knitting, including aspects of felting. The melting and merging together of the yarns helped to create a softer color tone, almost like oil painting, as well as a soft hand feel. I used exaggerated chunky honeycomb cables mixed with fine gauge lacey machine knitting to give depth in terms of textures, and incorporated mesh knitting to add airy effects to the garments”.

Talia Shuvalov

“Technological advancements in the way we utilize and consume clothing have inspired the way in which I approach my own design process. This collection explores knitwear techniques that form horizontal joints in the fabric, which are reversible and allow for a structural silhouette”.

Technological advancements in the way we utilize and consume clothing have inspired the way in which I approach my own design process. This collection explores knitwear techniques that form horizontal joints in the fabric, which are reversible and allow for a structural silhouette”.

Technological advancements in the way we utilize and consume clothing have inspired the way in which I approach my own design process. This collection explores knitwear techniques that form horizontal join

Sinead Lawlor

“Inspired by the range of yarns that Zegna Baruffa produced such as Sable, Cashwool and Mousse, I developed a collection that focussed on stripes, jacquard and fringing to build up texture. My research focused on the use of strong colors in African tribal prints and jewellery, producing a collection of unusual knitted fabrics”.

Sinead Lawlor’s designs were featured in an article in the Womans Wear Daily: