MILAN-When Connection Knitwear’s co-founder Daniele Savaré rode into the BACO photoshoot with a vintage green and gold Lambretta scooter, we knew we were in for a treat.  Drag racing, British mod styles and iconic bands like The Who are just as much at the heart of the brand as the luxury fibres that are woven into each and every sweater.

Slow fashion and fashion with soul is taking the world by storm and Italian brands like this one are really at the heart of that trend.

“Farm to table” is as much a catch phrase for the organic foodie world as it is for clothing.   Connection Knitwear boasts just that.   Their retro knits, some of which feature fine details like delicate ribbing broad stripes and covered buttons, are made from antique hand looms in artisan studios, which are located just a few minutes from the city center.   “Nothing could be more farm to table than our sweaters,” said co-founder Brazilian-born Camila Angelini, who is also Daniele’s wife.  The two, who hail from fashion PR and the finance world respectively, say they now have a global following, especially from markets like Japan.  Daniele and Camilla met at a drag race on Italy’s eastern coast and continue to share a love for cars and their passion for mod fashion and 60s rock.

Overall, these pieces are characterised by a contemporary wearability and great comfort thanks to an artisan manufacturing process and to the use of materials of the highest quality like Pima cotton, Merino wool, Alpaca and cashmere for knitwear, while Italian or Spanish vegetable-tanned suede is used for their outerwear. Ventile cotton or British Millerain-waxed cotton are fashioned for anoraks and overcoats.

“There have been a lot of changes in knitwear since the 60s, when yarns were much thicker and synthetic fibres were in.  We source our yarns from top mills like Iafil, in order to achieve knits that have that cool synthetic look – yet are made with natural, pure, more sustainable fibres… some of the best,” Daniele explained, while drinking a spritz cocktail in front of Milan’s Roman-landmark Colonne di San Lorenzo. Iafil is one of Italy’s biggest and most innovative mills, which prides itself on achieving modern yarns that are not only luxury material, but become more lightweight and durable season after season.

Their sweaters run from EUR100 to EUR150, while more pricier items cost about EUR400.  Made-to-measure products are available upon request.

Check out Connection Knitwear’s page and Facebook profile!