Nothing signals the start of winter quite like the return of the Fair Isle knit. Once considered ‘ugly' knitwear we'd only pull out from the back of our wardrobes as an alternative to a Christmas jumper (especially the red-nosed reindeer kind ? la Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones's Diary) or for a winter sport holiday (specifically for apr?s-ski), the Fair Isle jumper has now become somewhat of a fashion statement.
The knit is named after the small, eponymous Shetland Island in Scotland and uses a traditional knitting technique to create those distinctive patterns with multiple colours. It was brought into vogue by an earlier Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) in the 1920s, and has remained a casual wardrobe staple for members of the Royal Family, including Kate Middleton, whose jumper collection includes at least three different Fair Isle designs.
Kensington Palace
Another fan of the nostalgic knit is Alexa Chung, who recently layered a Fair Isle vest by Molly Goddard over a light blue button-down in a snap for Instagram. The It-girl previously also wore a V-neck vest from Cotswolds-based knitwear brand Cooking Apple, and sported a chunky Fair Isle crewneck with white, straight-leg jeans, black loafers and an oversized, black leather blazer to ring in the festive season at private members' club in London last year.
A host of designers have dropped Fair Isle-inspired knits for AW24, proving the multicoloured jumpers have become a timeless investment. If, as in our case, that ?1,885 cashmere turtleneck from Loro Piana is a little out of your budget, there are countless options on the high street. The cropped cardi from Hush certainly caught our attention, as did the Fair Isle knit that was featured in the John Lewis Christmas advert.
John Lewis
Scroll down for our pick of the cosiest patterned knits to shop right now.
The best Fair Isle knits for AW24
?49, John Lewis
?46, Next
?115, Nobody's Child
?140, Hush
?50, Gap
?179, Holland Cooper
?35, M&S
?94.99, Superdry
?79, Albaray
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| 2025/01/22(Wed) 23:53 |
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