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How to become a
Knitwear Designer
Who is the Knitwear Designer?
The luxury knitwear sector has seen a surge in sales in recent years. Innovative and traditional yarn processing is becoming increasingly sophisticated and opens up a vast range of creative possibilities that frequently defer to sustainable fashion principles. Successful market performance and the wealth of skills required to create cutting-edge garments elevate the Knitwear Designer's role to that of a top player in the fashion system. They specialise in the design and development of knitwear garments. Their skills include knowledge of the production processes, materials, trends and heritage of the organisations they work for.
What does a Knitwear Designer do?
The responsibilities of Knitwear Designers range from research into trends and materials to actually developing fashion collections. They are tasked with keeping abreast of evolving yarns and fabrics and their related material treatments. Indeed, only profound knowledge of the creative possibilities enables the experimentation and creation of distinctive outfits. To achieve satisfactory results, these professionals study and develop patterns and textures while continuously engaging with the creative teams and repeatedly perfecting product samples. Such tasks entail a comprehensive understanding of trends, brand identity and history.
What skills should a Knitwear Designer have?
Material research and creative tasks must be supported by a comprehensive yet vertically-integrated skill set specific to the knitwear industry. For example, the Knitwear Designer must have in-depth knowledge of yarn processing techniques. Here are some other typical skills of this role.
- Ability to create original designs with personality and attention to brand heritage
- Knowledge of fashion trends
- Ability to design patterns, graphics and images
- Soft skills: aptitude for teamwork, awareness of the fashion system and aptitude for studying materials.
How to become a Knitwear Designer?
The fashion industry keeps abreast of the evolutions affecting knitwear products, and today, more than ever, there is a tendency to restore traditional processes that have often been forgotten. For the professional, this ability to research yarns and use them most appropriately can result from experience, but often, a dedicated training course can accelerate the acquisition of the necessary skills. NABA's Two-year Specialisation Course in Textile Design includes a specific section on Knitwear. Students are introduced to knitting by learning basic hand-knitting techniques such as crochet. Garment design workshops provide valuable knowledge and hands-on experience in designing garments with due respect for feasibility constraints.
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