Laura Pearson

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Laura Pearson is an autralian ballet dancer. She went to ABS in Melbourne.

Career

Pearson had never studied fashion before, in her early 20s, she traveled to Brazil and Ecuador and met Ecuadorean knitters who were part of a cooperative started by the Peace Corps. [1] After first starting out by importing Ecuadorean sweaters for one season, in 1976, Pearson decided to start designing her own knitwear under the Tijuca label back in New York. [2] At first, she employed 30 Ecuadorean workers to knit her designs, a number which increased to 150 by 1982. [1] [2] [3] At the time, her sweaters, for both men and women, were unlike anything else seen on the market, with their textures, boldness and use of South American Indian motifs, and she won a Special Coty Award in 1981. [1] [4] In 1987, The New York Times described Tijuca's sweaters as retaining a human element in their "thick, burly feel", and described how the original craftspeople had dyed the wool in cauldrons over open fires. [5]

Pearson subsequently diversified into socks, and was then employed by the Signal Apparel Corporation to create mass-produced cotton machine-knits under the "Laura Pearson USA" label. [1] While the cotton knits retained Pearson's signature bold graphics and textures on simple shapes such as cardigans, jackets, and mix-and-match skirts and pants, they were designed to be comfortable, have a long fashionable life and remain stylish for years rather than in the short term. [1] Designs had names like "Laura's Backyard", "Falling Leaves" and "Barn Door", and were inspired by a wide range of sources, including the designer's own backyard at her home in Sag Harbor, New York. [1] One design for Fall-Winter 1986-7 was inspired by aerial views of Uruguayan farms. [6] She described her work as art-to-wear, and in 1988, the Deseret News described her work as "Sweater collectibles." [1]

Her fashion business ran for 25 years. Pearson moved to Sarasota, Florida in 2009 and now works as a realtor. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knitting</span> Method of forming fabric from yarn

Knitting is a method for production of textile fabrics by interlacing yarn loops with loops of the same or other yarns. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarn</span> Long continuous length of interlocked fibres

Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or other lubricants to withstand the stresses involved in sewing. Embroidery threads are yarns specifically designed for needlework. Yarn can be made of a number of natural or synthetic materials, and comes in a variety of colors and thicknesses. Although yarn may be dyed different colours, most yarns are solid coloured with a uniform hue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweater</span> Piece of clothing made out of knit or crocheted material

A sweater or pullover, also called a jersey or jumper, is a piece of clothing, typically with long sleeves, made of knitted or crocheted material that covers the upper part of the body. When sleeveless, the garment is often called a slipover, tank top, or sweater vest.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aran jumper</span>

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pedersen Budge, Rose Mary (21 November 1988). "Laura Pearson's Artistic Medium? Knit Sweaters!". Deseret News. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Untitled article clipping reprinted in "Peace Corps, 1961-1981, for 20 Years, Making a World of Difference."". Contra Costa Times. 9 July 1981. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  3. "Dyed in the Wool". Working Woman. MacDonald Communications Corporation. 7 (1–6): 72. 1982.
  4. McDowell, Colin (1984). McDowell's Directory of Twentieth Century Fashion. Frederick Muller. pp. 299–301. ISBN   0-584-11070-7.
  5. la Ferla, Ruth (15 November 1987). "MEN'S STYLE; CLOSELY KNIT". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  6. Hawkins, Timothy (28 February 1986). "NEW YORK : --a Swing to More Relaxed Silhouettes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  7. "Laura Pearson, Real Estate Agent". Premier Sotheby's International Realty. Retrieved 4 June 2022.