Patchwork Blanket AW 2020/21

I take inspiration from everything around me. That usually involves traditional textiles of the home. Garish patterns are my favourite; granny carpets and kitchen tiles are an endless resource. For this collection I have taken inspiration from blankets and woven artists such as Anni Albers. 

The tapestry knitted jumper features an enlarged version of this type of pattern. A floral diamond knitted skirt is inspired by the wallpaper in my family home. 

 The patchwork layered skirt takes the form of traditional Welsh dress and a story from the National Wool Museum of a lady named Penelope and her loom. She was married to Odysseus but he was sent to fight in the Trojan war. Many years passed and there was no sign of him, many believed he was dead, except for Penelope. Men from far and wide came to marry her, she told them that she was weaving a garment and that when she was finished she would marry. Penelope would weave by day and by night she would unpick the cloth making sure she had no chance of finishing it. After many years Odysseus finally returned. 

This collection is made of a mixture of one off items and pieces available for retailers, please contact us to request a look book and price list. All knitwear is hand framed in Wales. Care has been taken to ensure that items are made from sustainable and natural materials +surplus fabrics that would otherwise go to landfill. 

Photography by Holbrook Studio 

Modelled by Chloe Jade Paget

AW 19/20 Knitwear and Accessories

The first Collection  available to buy for wholesale clients. Elin Manon Aw 19/20 features transformations on some of the brands favourite pieces. 

The Cadi Trousers have a new cousin, the Delwen Suit, made from supersoft Charcoal Shetland and Virgin White Wool, the wool has been woven through the knit as it is made to create this monochrome effect. 

The Tegan Jumper returns as a cozy supersized version with a patchwork scarf to match. 

 The Tonwen Jumper is cosier and more homely with a mohair-boucle yarn and shetland stripes in two colour ways. 

New for 2019 are a collection of fingerless gloves in an array of colours for those chilly mornings and a luxury supersize scarf in Shetland Wool 

Please contact elinmanonthomas@gmail.com for the brochure

Photography by Holbrook Studio 

Modelled by Rhian Mali Pritchard

 Lace Net Curtains AW 2018/19

Every day for the past 8 months I have left the family Launderette and walked 10 minutes down the road to work, passing house after house with its own set of white lace net curtains. There's a peaceful beauty in them, how they offer a light film of protection and serve as a timeless symbol of the home. By dressing in clothes, we are effectively taking our home with us, enveloping ourselves in cloth,  it is our own form of shelter. 

The collection takes inspiration from craftsmanship and manufacture, it is comprised of reclaimed wool from Welsh Woollen mills and Tapestry yarn. When a fabric is woven, if a mistake is made in the pattern the entire warp of the fabric is wasted. The hand sewing techniques involved in knitwear manufacture are often the most time consuming aspect of making the garments. 'Weaving' is the process of sewing loose yarn into the textile to avoid unravelling stitches, this is usually unseen by the end consumer. I made this the focal point of the designs by sewing the yarn on the surface of the knit. This was also applied to the lace net curtains to create a thick woollen material, combining two notions of the home. 

Photography and Styling by Jessica Gianelli

Modelled by Katie Boo Miller and Mona Cordes

Graduate Collection Flawed Formality 2017

Photography by Anna Maria Flaszczynska

Modelled By 

Jasmine and Jade Amelie Thawe

Flawed Formality' draws upon the notion of perfection, seeking the unattainable ideal. Inspired by haute couture images. What relevance do these images have in our everyday lives however? This collection unearths the deeper narratives hidden in our things. It is not the garment itself that creates a meaning to us but our experience of it. For every stain and every tear represents usage and the memories associated with the garment each time you wear it. 

It is an eclectic mix of jewels and junk, fine French lace is replaced with grandma’s curtains, thick woolen knit inspired by decorative carpets at home. The trim of her dress comprised of tangled earphones and shoelaces. Holes are patched up with upholstery material, knitted samples and darning techniques. Her favorite t-shirt is now damaged and moth eaten but she wears it anyway. The clean cut perfect couture image is taken apart with a nice dose of reality.