It’s time to take it back to the classroom. The fashion A-list are committing to nursery knitwear this winter: think bright colours, kitsch prints and, crucially, adorable animals stitched across the chest.
The anti-cool statement was cemented at the much-hyped launch of Harry Lambert’s capsule collection with Zara, aptly named Cutie Chaos. Lambert, best known as Harry Styles’s stylist, threw an opening party at Dover Street Market on Thursday, where guests arrived to find a huge fuzzy rabbit statue.
The cult buy? A hot chocolate brown sweater complete with doe-eyed rabbit wearing a bow tie (£59.99). Designer Harris Reed wore it all evening. Mini foxes, butterflies and doves were among the other creatures gracing sweaters, which go on sale today.
“There’s something very nostalgic about cute knits, it brings back memories of your gran knitting you a jumper, or being a child getting put in a really sweet jumper. It puts a smile on your face when you see others in one too,” says Lambert, who is known for his witty way of dressing A-listers (see: Emma Corrin dressed as a goldfish bag to the My Policeman premiere).
“I love when fashion has a sense of humour and sense of joyful mess to it, and it is sometimes missing from accessible pieces,” he adds.
There is a juvenile streak running through many of the top tier knits you’ll find at Selfridges and Harrods today: Stella McCartney has worked with Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara, whose signature, heart-melting subjects include one dog in an ear flap hat blown up on a lilac sweater (£545). JW Anderson has his own bunny jumper in yellow, brown and black iterations (£510) and Ralph Lauren has a charming, preppy dachshund pullover in camel (£229).
I have recently found myself partial to one ribbon-wearing lamb on a thick lambs wool Gucci knit; a relic of Alessandro Michele’s time as creative director of the brand (not available new, but look to eBay and Vestiaire for a second-hand version), and can attest to Lambert’s words: it is warming when your jumper sparks a great grin on whoever you are chatting to.
Who doesn’t need a cartoon animal on their front to prompt such a reaction? Paul Mescal. And even he took a Clairo hoodie with a precious white puppy on it for a walk earlier this month. Be brave and kick it back to kindergarten.
The best nursery knits to shop now:
