Sculptural Knits by Sandra Backlund

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By Becky Stern
Posted November 24th, 2008
Category Craft, Knitting

Fashion designer Sandra Backlund creates these astonishing sculptural knits! Leonora Oppenheim on Cool Hunting writes:

While these wool and alpaca garments may not be practical day wear and we might feel the need to channel Björk or Roisin Murphy’s sartorial confidence to walk around in them, we love the ambition and scope that Backlund brings to the humble art of knitting. The combination of taking pleasure in the process of craft and the outcome of dramatically contemporary forms is very exciting. Backlund’s work is a great example of how ‘”slow fashion” can can preserve traditional techniques while embracing new aesthetics.

Photos by John Scarisbrick.

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9 Responses to Sculptural Knits by Sandra Backlund

Alia on November 24th, 2008 at 8:44 pm said:

I’m so surprised that I’m the only person to make note of how disgusting that model is. I’m not usually one to make a fuss about thin models, but regardless of fashion or art, that model should not be equated with beauty or aesthetics…it’s vulgar.

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Anna on November 24th, 2008 at 9:00 pm said:

Saying to someone she is disgusting is awful. Who gave you the right to judge others?

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mickey on November 25th, 2008 at 5:26 am said:

the model looks dead

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Lucille Morigi on November 25th, 2008 at 6:52 am said:

As I understand these photos – which are extremely well made – are artistics.
They are not only supposed to show the clothes – which are some kind of art too.
So, ok I am not happy with anorexia too and I amnot saying that this one model is anorexic – what I am saying is – MAYBE THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OS THE ARTISTS, TO CAUSE SOME STRANGE EFFECT ON PEOPLE – some like it – others don’t – I myself love it! And believe me I am not a completely thin person.
I simply love to look at art work.
Model, photographers, designer and all the people who worked for this to be an excellent work of art are congratulated.
Sorry for my sometimes bad English – I am brazilian.

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em on November 25th, 2008 at 7:48 am said:

The model is a skeleton. Yuck.

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T Horton on November 25th, 2008 at 11:45 am said:

I’ve never commented here before, but felt that I had to say how disappointed I am that CRAFT are promoting this ‘look’, and I’m talking about the model not the knitwear. Regardless of how interesting the work is I would have thought that a zine of your calibre has a moral duty not to promote anything that could be detrimental to apersons health.

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Becky Stern on November 25th, 2008 at 11:57 am said:

I guess she’s so thin I barely even saw her. I really was focusing on the amazing knitwear, which is what the post was about. As for having the moral duties to our readers’ health, plenty of the food recipes we post are potentially detrimental, arguably moreso than a photo of a thin model. As educated and responsible readers, please take all that you read with a grain of salt.

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mickey on November 25th, 2008 at 9:44 pm said:

Hear hear!
when I saw the post, the first thing I noticed was the knitwear – as that was what the post was focusing on great pieces, love that lacey one ‘specially

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Anonymous on October 20th, 2009 at 10:08 am said:

I think Sandra Backlund is fabulous. I love her work. her textures and flamboyant structural work is inspiring and I believe this is the idea behind this post. Inspiration. Ok the girl is thin and pale but I think its quite obvious that its intentional to accentuate the beautiful design on display here. Her photo shoots are always very stylised and fantastical, much like her pieces.

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