Reading the Story Woven into the Stitches: The Tale of Aran Knitwear

Did you know there is a traditional style of knitwear called the fisherman's sweater?

Among these, the knitwear born on the islands of the Aran Islands, floating in the Atlantic Ocean, is known as Aran knit.

This time, we take a look at INIS MEAIN, an Irish knitwear brand nurtured by the rich nature of the Atlantic,

INIS MEAIN, a genuine Irish knitwear brand

and explore the history and appeal of its traditional knitting.

There's still plenty of time before winter arrives, but

it's worth preparing early with knit accessories like scarves and shawls.

This season, in addition to our classic merino wool knits, we are also offering

a series blended with baby alpaca and silk, offering a pleasantly smooth texture against the skin.

Why not start preparing for the new season with Aran knit accessories, warm not only in texture but in the story behind them?

The Aran Islands are, in fact, a collective name for three islands: Inishere, Inishmaan, and Inishmore,

and the combined population of all three islands is only about 1,400 people.

In this photo, you can see three very small islands lined up near the star mark.

The large island on the right is mainland Britain, and the island roughly in the middle is Ireland,

so comparing sizes, you can see just how very, very small these islands are.

These islands endure harsh cold and sea winds, making the land unsuitable for farming, so the people of the Aran Islands made their living through fishing.

To protect themselves from the strong Atlantic winds, the islanders wore what became known as the "Aran sweater," with its distinctive knitted patterns.

The history of Aran knit goes back a long way. Originally, the fisherman's sweater from fishing villages in Scotland

made its way to the Aran Islands, and later, through the skill of a woman living on the Aran Islands who had returned from America,

the Aran sweater with its distinctive knitting technique was born. Then, in the 1950s, designers from high fashion brands

took notice of this knitwear, and it spread throughout the world.  

Between 1960 and 1970, the simple yet richly textured Aran knit drew attention in fashion scenes across mainland Britain

and around the world,

and knitwear with similar designs began to be mass-produced outside the Aran Islands as well.

Since the design that became widely recognized during this time was the so-called cable-knit sweater,

there is a tendency for people to associate "Aran knit" with cable patterns in general,

but it seems that the original Aran knit actually featured many simple geometric patterns and straightforward knitting styles.

One story often told when discussing the history of Aran knit is

that the cable patterns served a role similar to family crests, so that if a fisherman ever met with misfortune at sea,

the pattern on his sweater could be used to identify him.

While there may be some truth to this,

in reality, rather than the cable patterns functioning as family crests,

since hand-knitted items clearly reflect the individual quirks of the knitter's technique,

it seems the texture of the knit alone was enough to tell at a glance who had made it.

So it's not necessarily true that Aran knit (fisherman's sweater) always means cable patterns.

Surprisingly, true Aran knit may have been simple in design,

blending into the deep colors of the sea, yet sturdy enough to withstand the harsh Atlantic winds.

As knitwear imitating the designs born on the Aran Islands began to be mass-produced,

traditional knit production on the Aran Islands themselves declined.

Tarlach de Blácam, the founder of INIS MEAIN,

wanted to ensure that the knitting techniques and traditions that remained on the Aran Islands would not disappear,

and, with increasing local employment as one of his goals, he founded a company.

That company is INIS MEAIN, the brand we introduce this time.

By the way, in this photo, showing the typical style in which fishermen in this area wear their knit sweaters,

do you notice something a little unusual about the way it's worn?

The hint is around the belt.

That's right—the sweater is tucked into the trousers.

For fishermen doing hard, busy work in the freezing Atlantic,

this style, which kept the stomach area warm while still allowing freedom of movement, seems to have been ideal.

And this distinctive belt was, apparently, one of the traditional crafts made by the island's women,

who hand-knitted yarn into vivid patterns.

Today, few people still possess this handcraft skill,

so it's wonderful that a brand carrying this tradition into the present continues to exist.

While INIS MEAIN itself is a relatively young brand,

the traditions rooted in this land are directly reflected in its knitwear. Even now, as knits are produced by machine,

the colors woven by the four seasons of Inishmaan and the motifs found in nature—spring flowers and moss,

sheer cliffs, the stormy winter sea, and the calm, still sea—

are carried on as a flavor unique to this brand.

Against the backdrop of such rich nature, INIS MEAIN offers refined knitwear while carrying on its traditions.

For the introduction of the 2016 Fall/Winter collection, we conducted an interview with the brand.

---Please tell us about the concept behind the 2016 autumn/winter collection.

This season, we've developed knitwear inspired by the simple workwear traditionally worn on Inishmaan Island.

As always, the image we return to is the archive of traditional knitting.

---What were the characteristics of traditional workwear in this region?

Until fishing-related equipment was improved about 20 years ago,

all cargo brought to this island was transported by small boats.

A large ferry would come nearby, unload its cargo,

and then that cargo would be loaded onto even smaller boats and rowed in.

These were wooden canoe-like boats traditional to the Irish region,

and they've become the logo of INIS MEAIN.

After coming ashore from the sea, the men would flip this boat over and carry it on their shoulders, several men at a time,

which would rub and wear down the shoulder area of their clothing, so to reinforce this part,

people back then would add interlining or patches to strengthen it.

This is not unique—all knitwear from our region

was made "for work," meaning to protect against fierce storms, rain, and sea spray.

We create our pieces by incorporating this concept of "workwear."

---I see, so based on the traditional idea that Aran knits are workwear,

you develop your seasonal items accordingly.

INIS MEAIN catches the eye every season with its appealing color variations—

how are these colors decided?

Yes, this is an element that remains unchanged every season,

and you may already know this, but INIS MEAIN knitwear

is strongly inspired by the nature of this island.

From the colors of the sea to the colors of the land, there's quite a variety.

---At ZUTTO, we're introducing the merino wool lineup as well as the baby alpaca + silk lineup—

is there anything special to keep in mind for long-term care?

The best approach is to follow care methods suited to each material.

First, the baby alpaca + silk pieces should be dry-cleaned.

Merino wool, on the other hand, can be cared for at home.

Please hand wash it by soaking it in lukewarm water with a very small amount of wool detergent dissolved in it.

For autumn/winter 2016, we've prepared many pieces from the series combining 80% baby alpaca with 20% silk.

This border scarf looks as if the morning light of Inishmaan Island

had been expressed directly through yarn.

Coordinating it with the knit rod allows for a variety of styling options.

When it comes to autumn/winter knits, many people own thick, fluffy long-piled wool knits for warmth,

but even with a thin knit like this baby alpaca/silk piece,

as long as the yarn itself is soft and highly insulating, you can stay plenty warm.

Also, because it contains 20% silk, it has a moderate sheen and smoothness,

making it perfect for those who find thick wool yarn scratchy against the skin.

This knit scarf is sure to be useful from early autumn through the depths of winter.

This is a shawl, also made of baby alpaca/silk.

Despite being thin, it has an extremely soft texture that lets you directly feel the warmth of the baby alpaca—

wear it draped as a shawl, or fold it quickly to use as a lap blanket.

With its generous 50 × 160 (cm) design,

you can drape it over your shoulders, of course, or gather it into drapes and wrap it around your neck,

adding volume as part of your outfit—also a lovely option.

The simple ecru color paired with the shadows cast by the traditional cable-knit pattern

together create a distinctly chic texture.

This is truly a knit for life, one you'll want to incorporate just as you would a piece of outerwear.

In October, when it's not quite cold enough for a coat but there's a slight chill in the air,

you can throw it over a cut-and-sew top and head straight out the door,

and in the depths of winter, when the north wind turns cold, it comes in handy for warming your body over a coat.

Knitwear born from a single strand of yarn.

There are countless traditional knit brands in the world,

each with its own innumerable charms,

but as mentioned in the brand interview, the fisherman's sweater

is characterized by the functionality of durability and warmth as "work clothing."

Why not experience that story through these Inishmaan knit accessories,

nurtured by the distant nature of the Atlantic Ocean?

▼Click here for the INIS MEAIN brand page