Genevieve Sweeney, Knitwear Designer / British Designer Knitwear

Genevieve Sweeney is a premium British knitwear label that truly emphases the high level of skills and quality of knitwear manufacturing in the British Isles. The brand fuses contemporary design with innovative technical processes and embraces heritage skills found in the Scottish Borders. Made exclusively in the UK, Genevieve is writing a new chapter for the knitwear industry, marrying contemporary design with exceptional hand finishes. Indebted to the time-honoured techniques of artisan makers, the brand has reimagined the possibilities of knitwear. While working in knitwear design and development for luxury brands across the globe, Genevieve gained a unique insight into the dialogue between designer and maker. Inspired by the relationships she built with local British mills and suppliers; the Genevieve Sweeney brand was born.

Colour blocking, clean lines and unusual yarn blends define the Genevieve Sweeney aesthetic, while geometric hand intarsia jumpers have become a brand signature. This handcrafted technique threads a unique narrative through each individual piece. Complex jacquards and metallic accents sit amongst muted tones and natural fibres for timeless unisex pieces that defy seasonal trends. With a naturally innovative approach to knitwear design, she creates custom yarn blends, sources British spun natural fibres as well as selecting eco and sustainable blends from Italy. Each piece is finished by hand with uncompromising attention to detail, transforming everyday knitwear into a premium investment piece. Genevieve Sweeney is committed to sustainability and with the fashion industry now placing great importance on provenance, the brand embraces ethical practices.

In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast we interview knitwear designer, Genevieve Sweeney, and discuss how she came to set up her own brand after working for high end brands across the world. It was whilst on a mission to help small handcrafted knitwear manufacturers in Scotland when her brand was naturally born. She was quickly stocked by The Shop at Bluebird and Fortnum & Mason, and then set up her website with the help of her graphic designer friends. Our host Peter Brooker and Genevieve also chat about the brand's unique geometric knitwear designs, sock subscription club, Alpacas, sustainable focus, and how she has coped with a newborn baby during the Coronavirus pandemic.

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Transcript

Unknown: 0:11

Hello, and welcome to another episode of The menswear style podcast. I'm your host Pete Brooker and on this episode I'm going to be speaking to Genevieve Sweeney, managing director and knitwear designer for Genevieve Sweeney. Genevieve Sweeney well premium British knitwear for women's wear and men's wear that truly emphasises the high level of skills and quality of knitwear manufacturing in the British Isles. The label merges together innovative technical processes with heritage skills embraced in the Scottish Borders, luxurious fibres, a source from Italy, Yorkshire and small UK Mills that specialise in custom yarn blends. We're going to get into all of that it's going to be a great chat with Genevieve that to come shortly first got an ad read to do here. And we get into this pull it up introducing topic where Yes, a luxury undergarment brand that indulges in comfort for a specific choice of hand selected blends. The brand's focus is softness and comfort using blends naturally softer than cotton, like bamboo fibres and mogao it's exceptionally light breathable and graciously massages the skin with everywhere whether you're lounging at home watching a movie or doing a workout session topic has you covered they currently have a customer appreciation special online so head over to topic where.com at topic to P ik where.com and use this code men's wear style to experience the comfort so show these guys some support. They're supporting the podcast and making this available for you guys. Introducing topic where Okay. What else again, checking out our website menswear startup co.uk all the articles all the show notes, all the links will put over there. And if you want to get in touch with the show, then email us at info at menswear styled or co.uk Okay. Here is that interview with Genevieve Sweeney of canopy. Well, it's my great pleasure to introduce Genevieve Sweeney founder and slash everything of Genevieve Sweeney, the knitwear brand, how are we doing today Genevieve? Good. Thank you. Thanks for having me. No, thank you for taking time out of your day to interview please, For the uninitiated. Can you give us a little thumbnail sketch of you and how you got the brand started? yes yet say and I'm Genevieve Sweeney and I founded my brand in 2015. And previously I'd worked for a high end brands and across the world and and felt that there was something missing in knitwear. And I through kind of working with other brands and manufacturing in China, Italy, Turkey, I came across an artisan knitter in Scotland and he had been out of work for about 20 years and I completely fell in love with his story his art and just found it really heartbreaking that there was no longer a market for him to sell in. So what started off as kind of like a project for me to get his hand writing back to a kind of a more commercial and contemporary and product ended up being kind of the start my brand. And then from that I spent probably about two years dragging my husband on say called holidays that were trying to visit factories and sitting in pubs like in Scotland and asking who's a knitter and does anyone know the factory open and everything was kind of word of mouth there wasn't really there wasn't there wasn't make it British online or anything like that. So yeah, it was a real kind of hunt to find. Yeah, manufacturers people to work with, which then kind of was putting the pieces together of my brand, which is Yeah, which is how it kind of came together. Okay, were there any Mills or Scottish Mills you know, like the typical marquee name ones that could have helped at all? There was but I couldn't do it. I couldn't do them the minimum so they were wanting like 1000 pieces and I was Yeah, I wanted to kind of stay more on the crafted kind of handmade pieces. So I was I was looking at a maximum was like 2050 pieces, right? And yeah, something quite small and and I would know a knitter but I wouldn't know someone said link it. And the factory wouldn't take in, you know, someone else's knitting to then process it. And so yeah, so it kind of began as a kind of like a puzzle making kind of putting people together. And it was amazing. Some of the people that I put together kind of working from for about four years before a couple of them retired, which meant that other designers could work with them as well, which was really exciting. Right? So it was Yeah, it was a pursuit. But I was at the beginning of it, I was still working so. And yeah, so it was kind of like this kind of slow process. But I just fed enough more and more with the craft. And with this, I guess this, like history of UK manufacturing that had just completely disappeared. And also the kind of attitude to some of the factories, I did meet kind of thinking that they were, you know, still expecting people at m&s to put down these huge orders that, you know, the brands I work for when in putting down those units either. So it was quite an interesting kind of everyone's mindset was very, very different. And it just felt, okay. The whole industry needed a bit more, I guess, not be educated, but kind of like you processes put in place to, you know, make beer be able to kind of like, an A teacher person themselves, I guess. Yeah. I mean, so at the beginning of all of this, were you tempted at all to do any Kickstarter or crowdfunding campaigns to get it off the ground? And I thought about it a couple years in the, I guess my original kind of idea was that it was going to be online direct to consumer, and it was going to be kind of, yeah, I wanted small batches, kind of, you know, exclusive styles that it was, you know, so it wasn't kind of a big kind of branded, and, you know, high volume, I wanted it to become sustainable at the core. And so yes, I never kind of really went for Kickstarter. So I could be in those bigger, bigger meals or anything like that. I think some of the brands that we've spoken to before that have gone through that route of crowdfunding, basically just want to Front Load the risk element and have someone else bring capital in, maybe not to just kind of bring it up to like a big explosive commercial level. But just so that they don't have to produce garments, and then run the risk of sitting on them on the boxes in the attic, or whatever, you know, for time and timing. Yeah, launch. And then there's other people that we've spoken to that say, look, it does actually give a confusing message that there's not much trust in the product and the brand that you've got the idea for if you're getting somebody else to fund it. I haven't so it, it is a it is quite a divisive to, to get Yeah, big round, often. I think I wanted my first collection was I guess I can call collection and I wanted the pieces to be timeless. And, and I wanted, I wanted myself to believe in it that it was, you know, a good enough a good product that people would want to buy that I wouldn't be sitting with it in my attic. If you know, I mean, I wanted that pressure that I had these, these units and and, you know, I had to sell them, I guess. And I was financially kind of tied to that. I guess that that pressure makes you think, you know, I've got to pay the rent, the fact that so yeah, it kind of drove me more. Well, I guess if you have a larger sum of money, you can not say you can be it could be slightly relaxed or spend it in ways that you need had needn't have done. I guess that's interesting. Yeah, I guess it does kind of attenuate the drive and not having so much skin in the game gives you more of a licence to take an laissez faire approach to it. Yeah. So what was the response? And so talk me through the process, once the factories approve, and you get your orders, you have the product? What's the next step? Do you build the e commerce site? Or is that already up and running? And so I was very lucky to have like friends who are graphic designers and web builders, and then kind of like trade for trade and put that together. I basically once I found all the factories, I was launched within six months, because my job was, you know, designing and developing knitwear that was kind of quite easy. I could once I found everyone that was ready to go. And then in the background, I have friends doing photo shoots and, and yeah, building the website and stuff like that. And see I launched when was it was September 2015. And I was living in Hackney at the time and there was a pop up shop that you could have if you're a resident for a week. And you just had to come to sign up for it. It's completely free. When I launched. I had a week in this pocket shop which was just amazing. Like suddenly seeing the products in a store and it filled a store. And and my husband and I went there that overnight kind of transformed their lives richer. And yeah, we had like a launch party and I had a friend friends at a PR company that helps drive interest as well. And that was just kind of like the most incredible moment just seeing kind of it all together. And yeah, setting my first first jumper as well. Like, I really remember the woman who came in and bought it. And it looked amazing on her and like, I don't know, like, it's just kind of those moments that kind of really make a milestone. And you think about me as an end, which is nice. Oh, that's really sweet. Are you still in touch? But did you manage to capture any? any follow up detail? I didn't I wasn't. I need a photo of you for my fireplace, please. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Now, unfortunately, I didn't get her details. But yeah, that was the start of it. But then. And then, I mean, it did take time. And to kind of get brand awareness, I don't think I realise how much of a drop in the ocean you are when you first launched your website. And that Yeah, very quickly, I was then picked up by a shop at Bluebird, and fortnum and Mason. And it was kind of that toss that I had to think about whether, you know, I wanted to be direct to consumer for it to be a surprise. But then I thought the opportunity of being my partner Mason was just incredible with my men's wear. And I felt like I had to do it, which, yeah, which is great. So how does that work? Forgive my ignorance. I'm not entirely sure how when you do sell through the likes of Selfridges, fortnum and Mason, do they then kind of put an extra wedge on the price compared to what you have to sell it on your website? So I am. So what were some things I just had to kind of breakeven with just an I just thought of as a bit of a kind of marketing opportunity with other pieces I made, like exclusive pieces for them that they could add a markup on and and it wouldn't be, you know, two different prices on my website or them and I wasn't charging my custom more. And But yeah, I did find it quite difficult having to have that elevated price. So I needed wholesale, so about two years. And then I felt that it wasn't right. For me. I don't know there's something about adding that extra markup. It didn't didn't sit with me very well, because I've always wanted the knitwear to be to do a fair price and the highest quality. Interesting. And so what your background you mentioned earlier, you were senior knitwear and jersey developer in liland. Scott, ffs. Right. And before that Burberry, what kind of applications Could you take from those jobs and implement into generic Genevieve Sweeney? Yeah, um, well, my first job was at rag and bone in New York. And it was incredibly creative bowl. And we just designed swatched just created kind of like, all day, every day, and I'd love that kind of like, artistic freedom, and that I had there. And then my next role was that Hugo Boss, which was kind of doing everything is a creative development roles is everything from the sketch to the production. And there, I really learned how to run a run a collection, and I ran the men's sportswear, knitwear department. And, and so yeah, doing everything from sketch working brand management, work with marketing work, looking at the factories, and, you know, kind of working beyond Mills, I just, I made kind of all my connections there. And, I guess, getting my confidence and, and saw how good our products were reacted with the market, and also of a global market. I think what I liked there was, you know, China would want one product Germany, what another, UK would want something else. And having such a global brand having to cater to all those different countries was was really fascinating. And yeah, and then I took that on to get their pre announced got as well. And, yeah, no, I think every job I did was kind of, in a way, taking me forward to the time I would be ready to launch my own brand. I was always wanting to learn about every single process. And that's why I did change from from yet design development production, which I think some people always think it's risky to do when you're a designer, but yeah, I loved it. I love the machinery. I lost the people that make it and yeah, kind of everything behind behind the scenes. Yeah. It's interesting. How you have to kind of have many arrows in your quiver to kind of get to where you are now, like, Photoshop, Illustrator, you know, all the sort of things that you perhaps don't associate with becoming a designer. It's sort of like these little teasers in the Trivial Pursuit pack that you just need to get before you actually go ahead and launch your own brand is this would this be some of the advice that you'd give to other people coming up is that you need to be like you say, not just Not just the designer, but you need to have many hats that you can wear in order to launch. Yeah. Yeah, definitely, I've always said I do sometimes go back and lecture at university, I study that. And I always say that, if you if you understand how the knitting machine works, you can design the most efficient, it also the most efficient kind of less wasteful way of creating something, and you also can then be very creative, and then how to push the machine in a really unusual way. So as well as it being like time saving, you can do the most incredible things if you know how to use the machine and the technology behind it. So I feel that if you know that kind of the book, like more of an understanding of the whole picture of the entire manufacturing process, you can just create and design the most amazing pieces in the most sustainable way as well, which is really exciting. So yeah, I think it's good to get to know and also like, being like Hugo Boss, we were so and we spoke a lot with Merchandising, and would always know how the sales are doing, which then does give you more information when you're designing the next collection. I don't know that kind of constant feedback. And, and I guess, sharing of information between departments I've just always found really, really like an amazing tool. Yeah, I guess you get an idea of what works. What's a hit him was a missile, what parts of a collection out so in other parts, and I guess through some of that you might see a pattern or a through line that you can kind of adopt and make into a formula. Yeah, I think also when you get in, when you get a hunch about a design, I feel like it feels that hunch that you might not have any kind of like, data that proves it. But I don't know, I feel that that hunch that, you know, we can really create something that you push on something and does really, really well. So it's good for that. Yeah. Gonna be I'm curious, since I added you on Skype and checked out some of your Instagram stories. There seems to be a lot of our Packers roping the grasses. Are they part of the fabric for some of the garments or are these just household pushy? Not my neighbours. But yeah, since? Well, since lockdown, I've been walking a lot around the fields and I came across and three our Packers, which I've named Scotty latte, and espresso. They're all names but they're pregnant as well, which is quite lovely. So yes, you know, the baby Packers, but yeah, it's been my kind of my daily exercises, walking to see them back again. something quite nice. There is something quite beautiful about llamas and alpacas so I remember taking my girlfriend to a farm not too long ago and well, one of them came bounding towards the fence and and spat quite venomously at my girlfriend. I mean, it's one of their traits. I think when they're a bit unsecure about things. They just they can launch a huge bit. Yeah, just want to go running over the fence, but yes, then you take them for a walk up the hill. They're on a lead, and they're all quite obedient and subservient. But it's just nicer. They're adorable. Yeah. Very cute. And these ones have had a haircut as well. So yes, I can look down hair cut. They look like ridiculous afterwards, but they're very cute. Yeah, I think you can I mean, you get alpaca suits. Right. There must be some inclination to get some of these in some of the sweaters. Yeah, I have. I have been working before with a packet meal in Scotland in the borders, they have their own head and micro spinning facility is incredibly high tech. So you can go there and select what fleece you want to work with. And spin it. I spun kind of yarn from like the mother and the son to create a peaceful life and kind of textured yarns and they're all on diets. You can mix kind of chocolate with the birth of a white and then all these peaceful like Aubrey de Grey, it's videography. And they unfortunately was three there's not too much limited run. But they have been a highlight on Instagram like and keep following me had said that. It's like the highlight of the day, seeing what they're up to. Yeah. Well, I'm hooked. So yeah. I'm also very curious about the sock subscription because my socks are looking like they're currently at the end of their run. So I'll be subscribing soon. Can you discuss a little bit of information about some of the stuff on your site please? Yeah, so I am not sure subscription I think about nearly three years ago and I'm manufactures got socks in darbishire and a small family run mail and I'm allowed to take over with colour and sparkle and silt weeds and everything. And it's become a huge passion of mine and, and I had a customer who said to me that her her goal for the year was to make sure that she only had my socks in her sock drawer. So I thought, a subscription be incredible for that. And so every month, you receive a surprise pair of socks for the posts. And it could be anything from beautiful wool blends. And I've got this lovely salini sock, that's a costume with silk and little tweets and a little bit of lurex, which takes me in with like, an animal dress sock. And then I've been working with really rare Intel's machine which pin create an amazing conductor zigzag stripes and this digital Argo and, but a lot of the success I work with like the cotton and the wool base, I take an end of line and yarns and twist the colours together to create my own colours, and then mix that together in different patterns. So it's, it's kind of an area where I can be really, really creative and just really play with and I think especially with menswear, it's where women like to, you know, can can have a lot of colour and be a bit more playful with. And it's been Yeah, it's been really, really popular and it's something I love to do and a lot of the socks that you will see what won't be on the website, you'll be quite like that you have exclusive kind of socks. Okay, all right. And you can get these personalised with monograms I'm looking at now so you can get free initials hand embroidered into the sock so that you can really make these your own Konya. Yeah, definitely make sure that no one else feels for having your initials on them. People can have a look at the website and subscribe and and have a look through the designs as well, Genevieve sweeney.com we'll put all the links over on the show notes. Generally the How is everything coping or how are you coping and how is the brand coping amidst the pandemic right now? And I will I had baby three days in to lockdown which, which was? Yeah, really unusual and quite strange now eight weeks in because he hasn't met any family, which he probably thinks that he's a cat because we've got to cut them houses. Right? And yeah. And so yes, that's been quite unusual. But and I guess with with the lockdown, a lot of my factories closed, especially London, Scotland plays a lot earlier. So I'm still waiting to see if I'll have any production this year. And all how late production will be when they do find the open. And my socks, stop manufacturer spin still up and running and keeping toward guidelines. So we've been Yeah, we've been creating lots of great designs, which are coming soon. And so yeah, so it's kind of it's been a bit a strange time, it's given me the time to, I guess learn to be a mum because I'm not having to be on the phone to the factories in the day and stuff like that. And so it's a bit of a kind of catch 22 but, but my customers have been incredibly supportive and gifting socks to and subscription for family members, they can't see. Especially if it's you know, people have had birthdays on Mother's Day, stuff like that. And so that's been really lovely to be a part of that kind of story. And, and yeah, and seeing people's reactions when they receive the songs. That's really nice. I just a thing on the socks just started to dial back. But if I was to subscribe with the initials, can I change the initials with every different sock? Or would they have to be the same initials for each sock that I get? It has? And it has to be the same? Okay. And yeah, that's what yeah, that's the nice thing. Yeah, they stay with one one set of initials for the whole time, but you can take if you only wanted them for the first like two months, you could then take it off. And so then you have been playing afterwards. Okay, and so you can Yeah, you can pause and edit. And as often as you like, I'm just rolling through my Facebook friends now to see if I've got any other friends at start with my initials. I can parm these off to I really sorry. I'm just rolling through my ideas. Yeah. If a mistake, yeah, I guess family set or something like that where people can share between the household or something? Well, they look fantastic. As well as all the other designs people should know there's women's wear and men's wear on the website. Some of the sweaters really caught my eye and the Linton men's cashmere has a look of Piet Mondrian kind of postmodern art to it. Yeah, and I'm yeah obsessive like geometrics. And I love Yeah, that's where the hand in hand in Tazio of a traditional machine machinery. I like kind of playing with the geometrics and making a bit more kind of contemporary with that. I think that really comes through. So congratulations. I think you go Great, great product. Great brand. Thank you so much for taking time out to speak to me once again. Genevieve Sweeney COMM And all the best with the newborn. And thank you and they want to stay tuned to the Instagram for more news about the alpacas. Thank you very much. Thanks, Genevieve. Take care. Thank you. Bye bye. Bye. Genevieve Sweeney there. Thank you, Genevieve, and thank you for listening. If you like what you're hearing, don't forget to leave us a review. Don't forget to check out the sponsor topic where.com and use our code menswear style and treat yourself to some nice, breathable garments. Until next time, remember it's only fashion people and you never fully dressed without a smile.