The Carroll Bow Tie: Behind the Design

The Carroll Bow Tie design is inspired by author Lewis Carroll and in particular his books, 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass'.

As an Alice, growing up I was gifted with many versions of both books and have always loved the messages of encouragement for curiosity, imagination and the power of being an individual. At least that has been my take-away of the stories, maybe you see something different?

'Through the Looking Glass' has always fascinated me in a different way than 'Wonderland', the story is darker, has more twists and turns and offers glimpses into nightmares as well as daydreams.

I took the name Wool & Water from the 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' book. It is the name of the chapter where Alice is handed knitting needles which turn into oars and she finds herself rowing down a beautiful stream...to me that perfectly captures what knitting did for me, it opened an unexpected stream of creativity which lived beside and sometimes substituted the creativity I sought as an actress.

The Carroll is knitted in Lambswool & Merino, both super soft, super strong natural, sustainable fibres. I wanted to create something that looked and felt gentle and yet was strong, again this parallels Lewis Carroll's writing for me. Alice's adventures are often marketed as cosy, Disney-esque imagination yet when you actually read the books there are many challenges Alice must overcome, essentially she has to find her inner strength and believe in herself while everything around her is increasingly unbelievable.

On top of that Lewis Carroll's story itself, his relationship with his muse Alice Liddell is one shrouded in complexity, easily considered odd when viewed in a contemporary context.

I chose a bright, bold palette and pattern design as ultimately Carroll's world is quirky, unforgettable and bold. There's a lot to be inspired by.

Throughout the Wool & Water Look Book, 'So Many Curious Things...' you will also spot a white rabbit in every main image, in some form, some where you can follow that white rabbit through the story of Ben & Fred.

Stay Curious!