Craig Lawrence designs and makes knitwear extraordinaire. With his magic ball of yarn he spins up an assortment of coloured knitted delights. Recent work has included knitting with bin bags for Gareth Pugh's Spring/Summer 07 collection after a successful three seasons with London's young hot shot.

How long have you been designing?

 

Well, I used to draw designs when I was about 12 from when I saw a ballroom dancing competition, late at night on telly, I used my mum's hard back Charles Rennie Machintosh book to draw my own frilly fancies after school.  

 

Where are you based?

 

At the moment stuck in Ipswich but London's the aim, perhaps with the aid of a caravan!

 

What is your nationality?

 

Well, I was born in Ipswich, so technically you could say I'm English, but my parents and whole family are born and bred Scots, so in fairness British, but favourite is Scottish because thats where the "haggis suppers" are at!

 

How would you describe your designs?

 

Futuristic movement, twizzle knit.

 

What inspires you?

 

Well, lots of things and places, I mostly like seaside towns like my local Felixstowe and Blackpool in mid off peak bleak season! All the colourful lights keep on blazzing round and round and it's only me watching, makes me feel special! And razzel dazzel magazines, so unbelievably dirty it's shocking.

 

Why Knitwear?

 

I have more scope to create what I want, everything gets really abstracted when your sitting looking at a ball of yarn, it's like magic, you can make it into anything you like, I like (spinning)/knitting (straw)/yarn into golden creations. there's a lot more of a decision process, picking the yarn, to the knitting method, then to thinking about what kind of garment I could make, I like experimenting and knitting gives endless possibilities and I think knitwear could do with a good kick up its arse!

 

Who is your idol?

 

Martin Parr for his seaside photographs, and non related, Trisha! Cos she can sort out all your life's problems with no more than 10 minutes to spare.

 

Many of your knitwear pieces are very abstract - would you rather call yourself a fashion designer or an artist?

 

Both, a fashion artist. Putting movement on to the body through knit.

 

What's the longest it has taken to knit one garment?

 

Longest was the first, three days and three nights in a row making the first Gareth Pugh knited cloaky gothic jacket.

 

Can you see yourself designing under your own name or designing for a fashion house /label?

 

Knitting under my own Faggot and Diamond label.

 

What is your dream job?

 

To make spectacular one off knits and have a kick ass extreme knitting label.

 

What would you do if you weren't knitting?

 

Well my part time job at Peter's Ice Cream in Ipswich would turn full time and I'd probably become very large in volume, however whenever I thought about growing older I wanted to become retired like my grandad, he just had fun all day every day, not bad in my eyes!

 

Who are your favourite designers? And why?

 

I don't know! I like Leigh Bowery's stuff and C&A in the 1980s and I really enjoyed the Cast Off knitting exhibition in Colchester with weird sculptural conjoined knitted jumpers and body suits as well as current Gareth and Karry... don't know.

 

Who do you imagine wearing your clothes?

 

Me, and then dancers, I think.

 

 

Who would be your ideal customer?

 

Jade off Big Bother, too much money and dumb. Anyone who wants to shit around in a phat knit thing, that's fine.

 

 

Who is your muse if you have one and why? (can be imaginary/fantasy/anything!)

 

Billie Piper for her rebellion punk "because we want to" and Edward Scissorhands because he's a bit of magic, and Trish cos she's dirty.

 

 

Can we buy your collection anywhere? If so, where?

 

You can't buy my stuff in shops at the min only on www.myspace.com/faggotanddiamond.

 

Are you involved in any outside projects in other fields?

 

I'm currently helping my friend Lesley of Lesley Nicole Ceramics to establish her open studio in Ipswich and recording a few hard rap tunes with Racheal Todd.

 

What are your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

 

To sell my knits out of a caravan in the next year sometime, then in ten years either dead or having my own Faggot and Diamond shop.