I initially learnt about the design complexities of knit and wovens at ZARA, when I designed on the punto team in Spain. It is an extremely technical product area, but that makes it all the more exciting.

Knitwear will always feature in our YAITTE trans-seasonal capsule collections, as versatile pieces which are timeless yet chic. Before I design each knit piece, I spend time researching shapes, knit techniques and playing around with stripes - which are synonymous with YAITTE.

Whilst designing our current pieces I played with two different weights and gauge, which resulted in a refined lighter knit - HVAR, and our chunky turtleneck knit - MAINE. Like most, I have spent a lot of time at home due to the pandemic this last year. Watching box sets such as 'The Queens Gambit' which is based upon chess, I felt instantly drawn to the distinct checkerboard format which inspired me to start researching and playing around with monochrome colour blocking.

I initially sketch by hand before engineering detailed CAD drawings for my factories. There were a few technical issues along the way and aspects I removed to refine each final design, such as a contrast cuff edge finish. I am meticulous when it comes to design and execution, and this is especially true when crafting knitted garments, which at YAITTE we design to remain loved, investment pieces to be worn year after year.

Danielle Windsor

Founder and Creative Director.