The Cashmere Fair Isle In Pearl

Provenance is the heartbeat of any artisan creation. For centuries Fair Isle, an isolated rugged island north of Scotland between Orkney and Shetland, has been synonymous with the pattern it so famously coined. Knitting is a way of life for islanders. It is a technique handed down from one generation of artisan to the next, intrinsic to island life. Today just a handful of knitters produce all of Fair Isle’s woollen output.

Like its Guernsey counterpart, the Fair Isle follows a similar trajectory to the story of its inception. At its height of production in the 1800s, these jumpers were traditionally hand knitted by the women on island for fisherman and coastal workers and worn by the individuals on island from the 20th century.

The jumpers were traded with passing ships as way of currency. It was in this trading that the world got to see a real knitwear gem, in L Y N N E ‘s opinion the jewel in our textile crown. The Fair Isle has been immortalised in literature, portraiture and photography ever since its inception but more strikingly, the pattern has taken on a life of its own, transcending the island and capturing the hearts of designers and knitters the world over who have all created their own versions of the iconic pattern.

L Y N N E has collaborated with islander Marie Bruhat to create the first of three pieces made from the finest 100% Scottish cashmere and knitted exclusively on Fair Isle. This 10 ply jumper follows traditional motifs that have been produced on island for hundreds of years.

These rare and exquisite heritage garments are available in L Y N N E Pearl, Buoy and Nautical colour ways.  Get in touch to join our waiting list for one of these pieces of British textile heritage history.