CHARL / UK
After more than twenty years designing knitwear, Frankie Davies founded Charl Knitwear to bring together her extensive knowledge of knitwear and yarn development with Britain’s rich textile heritage. Growing up in Norfolk, she was fascinated by traditional fishermen’s Gansey jumpers and the stories held within their stitches. As the craft began to die out, she wanted to find a way to keep it alive and relevant within contemporary culture.
British wool became central to that vision. With such a surplus that much of it goes to waste, Frankie saw an opportunity to celebrate the qualities and heritage of native breeds through contemporary design. Charl works almost exclusively with British wool, including Shetland, Wensleydale, Mule and Bluefaced Leicester, exploring the particular character of each fibre. Collections are produced in small quantities and designed beyond passing trends, bringing together local material, specialist knowledge and a living tradition of British knitwear.
