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Article: The Story Behind: The Bowie

The Story Behind: The Bowie - Orwell + Austen
Inspiration

The Story Behind: The Bowie

The Bowie

Having delved into the history of the Love design, it’s only right for me to talk you through the  inspiration for the Bowie, which launched way back in 2016 (seems like a lifetime ago!)

Design inspiration

Ever since the 1973 release of  Aladdin Sane, the lightning bolt has become synonymous with Bowie. It was, of course, this album cover which provided the inspiration for the O+A design. 
I'm a HUGE Bowie fan, and love the graphic statement that album cover makes, and knew that taking that iconic bolt and putting it on a sweater, would translate wonderfully. Arguably so many of you agree, as since it launched it continues to be a sell out style which won't be stopping any time soon!

Process

The design started life as a very simple sketch which I sent to the factory who make all my pieces. Shape wise, I knew I wanted the sweater to be quite fitted, and that the lines of the bolt had to be as clean a possible, with the right balance between the main bolt and the stripes on the bolt. 
With regards to the physical process of knitting the design, much time was taken by our artisan producers in Nepal over the exact gradient of the line. Getting used to the various diagonals in the design was quite a task due to the nature of the hand knitting; nevertheless, our artisan producers mastered it. 
Love the Bowie? Shop the new season colour-ways, exclusively online. 

 

 

 

 

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