Meet the Melbourne brand hand knitting your new favourite jumpers
Imagery: Courtesy of Revel Knitwear // @revelknitwear
Words: Sarah Tarca // @tarca
A few months ago, I fell into an Instagram black hole while looking for a knit jumper to get me through Melbourne’s pre-winter (some call it Autumn, but at 12°, I don’t think so). I loved the knit sets I kept seeing around, but couldn’t justify the price for machine-made, acrylic blends that looked good but may not last the season. And this is just not the way I shop anymore.
While hard-and-fast fashion got me through years of magazine life and left me with an empty high and a wardrobe filled with questionable quality and even more questionably ethical pieces it’s something that hasn’t aligned for years. Culling my three wardrobes down to half a shared wardrobe, and having no fixed address for four years has helped solidify the conscious shopper in me. I don’t purchase often, but when I do I simply can’t justify not buying conscious, ethically made fashion because they need to last the travel life and the constant rotation of frequent wear.
And so, 12 pages deep into my Insta trail I found handmade knitwear brand, Revel Knitwear and proceeded to spend the next two weeks in purchase paralysis of which knit to actually buy. The Melbourne-based slow fashion company is owned and run by Shannyn Lorkin who, as a young girl was taught to knit by her grandma… and turned that knowledge into a fully fledged slow fashion brand, blending her fashion-grad insight for trends with the art of knitting. And she listens to her customers too. A permanent fixture on Instagram stories, Shannyn is often found asking her followers what shapes and styles they want, and she thrives on transparency. This connection to her customers is to me what is often missing in fashion: the heart and the care. But Revel has both in abounds… without compromising quality.
Each Revel Knitwear piece is knitted by hand, either by Shannyn, or one her local knitters of women in Australia. When you receive your hand knitted jumper, the swing tag tells you exactly who has put their time and love into what you’re wearing. They are all made to order, nanturally, using the highest quality yarns, and speaking from experience, you can feel the love with every wear. This is what they mean by “investment” piece: fashion that invests in our own economy, in the planet, and in the talents found in our own backyard.
I put my fangirling to good use recently had a chat to Shannyn about my new favourite slow fashion brand, and why knitting is the ultimate form of mindfulness. Enjoy.
Shannyn with her Nana, Beverley
Can you share a little about the Revel knitwear story?
I was taught to knit by my Nanna when I was 14, so I’ve been knitting now for almost 16 years. She taught because she wanted to pass the art on, but and also to help me do something that was still and calm… haha, I’ve always been a ball of energy.
My Nanna passed away in 2015, and I completely struggled to knit. We were indescribably close and every time I picked up the needles, I would just cry. What got me through is remembering how much she wanted knitting to be passed on – so I decided to create a legacy for her, which is how the brand was born. “Revel”, comes from her name (Beverley) and by definition it also means “to celebrate and bask in enjoyment”, which is exactly what I want this brand to be.
Handmade knitwear by Revel Knitwear
“I’ve learnt to just slow down and do only what I can and be really honest and transparent with our customer base”
In the four years since launch, what have been your greatest business learning?
SO MANY THINGS!! I realised where my strengths lie, and that’s definitely more in the creative direction of the business and also in overall strategy. I’ve learnt to just slow down and do only what I can and be really honest and transparent with our customer base, about the business we never try to be something we’re not. The takeaway is I had to learn to crawl before I walk and that can be applied to a lot of scenarios.
It’s so tough at times! At the end of last year my complete energetic vibe was depleted and ready to give up. I had pushed really hard for three years doing every single thing myself-from design, to ALL knitting production, to making the website, managing all orders etc. I felt pressure, and just burnt out. I struggled with anxiety and just couldn’t go on. So I took a good few months off and re-evaluated. I changed my mindset, and adjusted how I was doing things. I decided that I love this so much that I would do it for free, so I continued, it just fulfills me so much. But you have to continually adjust as you go to look after and care for yourself.
Shannyn Lorkin, Founder of handmade knitwear label, Revel Knitwear
Hand knitting jumpers is the ultimate in slow fashion. Why was sustainability and slow fashion so important to you?
I learnt about the impact that the fashion industry has on people and on the environment when I was studying a diploma of fashion business. One of my teachers, Jess, really taught us how we can make positive change. I knew when I had decided to start my business that sustainability would be at the forefront and would be non negotiable. That helped to give me a focus and know where the direction of the business would be. You have to be creative when it comes to sustainability, but I enjoy it and it keeps me on my toes. I just want to make an high quality option for people that doesn’t cost the environment.
CanBecause your brand is all about hand made knitwear, there’s a lot to consider when creating new pieces. How do you choose what to release?
Honestly, I design what I want and release it when it’s ready – it’s that simple. I design all throughout the year but really only do two releases. I always wanted it to be simple and not based on consumer pressures. My pieces are definitely informed by both timelessness and trends. I love to inject colours that are trending, but the style is more influenced by timelessness, so that whether you buy a statement colour or not, you will always have a place for it in your wardrobe.
What do you love most about knitting?
I love how mindful it is and how creative you can be. I love that I can cut off from the world and just immerse myself in it – something that’s even more important now. I love being creative with designs, colours and pushing to new visual boundaries. It is my most pure form of expression.
How many hours goes into making each piece?
At least 20 hours! You can only knit for a certain number of hours at a time before you cramp up and it hurts. So those 20 hours are usually broken up over about a week.
What makes you get up and do what you do each day?
I just love it. It connects me with my grandmother, and allows my to be creative. I want to offer the world uniqueness and an option that is sustainable.
What is your big dream for Revel?
To be able to continue creating. I used to have heaps of dreams, like, to be featured in Vogue, or to have someone I admire wear it. And while all of those things would be great, I hope to just expand my team of local knitters and keep making badass knits.
Hand made knitwear by Revel Knitwear