The Story of the Lea Cardigan

Our textured lambswool Lea cardigan is the perfect style for anyone seeking a comfortable, statement knit. Every detail of this beautifully crafted cardigan champions the beauty of slow fashion – not only is its wool spun on Scottish soil and knitted in London, but it is crafted in a way that minimises waste from start to finish.

I discovered a chunky slub, duo-toned lambswool yarn during a visit to my yarn mill, and instantly knew it would be perfect for a new cardigan design. I gave the yarn a GS signature twist by combining it with a contrasting colour for the cuffs and pocket trims that would highlight the texture of the slub yarn. I knew I wanted this cardigan to have a modern design, so I created a relaxed, slouched silhouette with a deep v-shaped neck that looks great both when it’s buttoned up or worn open. The Lea cardigan was born, available in a choice of three bold, stylish colours: blue, pink and green and now also deep red, charcoal and beige.

As for how I named the Lea …. All of my knitwear is named for the rivers, streams and towns close to where they are made, helping to connect the local communities, artisans and craftsmanship and continuing their story through the knits. The Lea cardigan is named after the River Lea, which connects my studio to the factory in London where this particular style is made. 

THE YARN

The yarn used to craft our Lea cardigans is spun in Scotland from super-fine lambswool into a textured slub yarn. This is a very time-consuming process, creating an even slub whilst ensuring the highest quality finish. Due to this slow process, only a small amount of yarn is created each year. I create my custom marls to showcase the beauty of this textured slub, with a fine lambswool in a vibrant or dramatic contrasting melange highlighting the sumptuous details of the yarn.

Due to the softness of the yarn, the Lea cardigan is incredibly soft to the touch, providing the utmost comfort for its wearers. Each piece is knitted using a fully fashioned technique to ensure a high quality finish, with virtually no waste created during the manufacturing process. Finally, each cardigan is washed in pure Scottish waters to enhance its luxurious look and feel.

This lambswool yarn has RWS (Responsible Wool Standards) certification, meaning that both the sheep that produce it and the land on which they graze is actively protected. Our yarn mill only sources from farms that can demonstrate respectful animal welfare, so every sheep leads a healthy life with essential freedoms. Read our journal post to learn more about our commitment to using responsible yarns.

My hand-picked blend of deep blue, pink , green, red, charcoal and beige with a natural textured slub lambswool creates beautiful, eye-catching duo-tone colour twists that stand out from one-tone knits. I then chose contrasting tones for the cuffs and pocket trims to add further interest to the design with a modern edge. This season I have launched three new sartorial colourways of tonal melanges that are a timeless and effortless edition to the collection.

Our Lea cardigans are hand-linked – a time-consuming, highly-skilled and meticulous process that joins the seams together of a knitted garment, as well as attaching the pocket trims onto a cardigan and placket. When linking, each stitch is placed onto one point of the machine. This is a time consuming process with utter skill and precision,  creating the highest quality knitwear finish.

THE BUTTONS

Alongside the certified and responsibly-sourced lambswool that the Lea cardigan is made from, it also features British-made buttons. Here at GS, we see buttons as an integral part of any cardigan and spend as much time choosing the buttons as we do on any other part of the design. Our buttons are manufactured by the last button-makers in the UK: Courtney & Co. They are crafted from sustainable Codelite and Corozo and custom dyed to compliment the tones of the knitted fabric. Find out more about our buttons here.

HOW TO STYLE

Everybody needs a good cardigan in their wardrobe. Whether you pull it on to keep cosy or it forms the basis of your outfit, your favourite cardigan can be worn with most garments in your wardrobe. The striking hues of our Lea cardigan instantly livens up a classic white t-shirt, or can be the perfect option for tucking into high-waisted jeans. Its versatile design also makes it suitable for evening wear – simply shrug it over a dress.

Add an edge to evening wear by layering the Lea cardigan over a bias-cut dress. As demonstrated in the image below, one of my favourite ways to style the blue Lea is to pair it with a navy blue silk slip dress for a tonal look that keeps you warm on chilly evenings. For a more nonchalant look, allow the cardigan to fall from your shoulders to resemble a shawl. 

I love wearing the Lea buttoned up with my favourite t-shirts and jeans for a casual, everyday look – each colour pairs well with a white t-shirt and different tones of denim. For colder days, you can even wear the Lea over a thin sweater for extra warmth, leaving it unbuttoned for a layered look where it acts more as a jacket. Alternatively, for a more casual evening event, pair the cardigan with leather trousers or a maxi skirt, buttoning it up and wearing only a camisole beneath.

As seen on @stylonylon the Lea lambswool cardigan in vibrant green.

Discover our Lea cardigan in six timeless colours, and browse our other cardigan designs.