Fashion Revolution in the 20th Century: The appearance of knit wear

Abstract

In the history of fashion, the category of knitted items was traditionally associated with ordinary clothing products like undergarments and socks. However, in a mere century Chanel has changed that idea by bringing into fashion consciousness items such as sports sweaters, jerseys, and suits, and so it has been necessary to upgrade this notion. As the needs of the times and new inventions have an inseparable relationship, knit fashion was also born with a close relationship with the zeitgeist of the time - the feminine movement, the rise of sports fashion and the world war - adapting itself up to the present time through continuous changes. Most brands are elevating knit from a mere decoration into a collection piece in a large number of collections every year. The number of brands that cannot exist without knit is increasing, such as Sonia Rykiel, Missoni, and so on. This essay is written with the purpose to study the birth, growth and future potential of knit items. The first stage concentrates on the age of knit's appearance (1910s-1930s). Contingent upon the collection of further data, this essay will be continued through the second stage (the 1960s - 1970s) and the third stage (after the 1980s).