Christmas jumpers, once only thought stylish by knitting-needle wielding
grannies, are enjoying a renaissance in Britain after being adopted as a
festive fashion statement by young revellers.
Responding to soaring demand for the colourful and eccentric creations, vintage
clothing group Beyond Retro has opened a temporary store selling only Christmas
jumpers in London’s trendy Old Street.
“It isn’t just hipsters that are doing it now, it’s everybody, office workers
to mums, dads, kids buying them for their whole family, everyone is
getting involved and that’s what so exciting,” said Ashley Emerson,
head of development
at Beyond Retro. One happy customer was Louisa Tomlenson, a 33-year-old
housewife. “We’re all going to wear it (on Christmas Day), my husband, the
children and everyone,” she said. “It’s everywhere, in lots of shops,” she
added.
Times have changed since the 2001 smash film Bridget Jones’s Diary, in which
Colin Firth’s character Mark Darcy is made to look uncool by wearing a green
woollen pullover decorated with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. “The
novelty knit… has rocketed up the cool-o-meter this season,” said department
store Debenhams, which has recorded a 200 percent increase in sales from
last Christmas.
3D designs all the rage this Christmas
While bargain-hunters can still snap up cheap festive jumpers — 100
percent acrylic — high rollers can easily spend over 200 pounds (250
euros) on Cashmere or alpaca garments. Surfing the trend, British NGO “Save
the Children” has since 2012 run a “Christmas Jumpers Day” on December 12,
when those wearing seasonal knitwear
are asked to donate a small sum for charity.
“Last year we were lucky enough to raise 1.5 million pounds with over a
million people taking part,” said Tanya Steele, financial director at Save
the Children. “We’re hoping to double that this year. We already have well
over a million people signed up. “Christmas Jumpers have been part of the
British psyche and part of Christmas for decades,” she said, putting their
resurgence down to a combination of factors.
Their traditional style chimes with the rise of Scandinavian fashion and
taste for vintage, the mass of Christmas parties gives socialites the
chance to show off their purchases all through December and their
unsophisticated designs appeal to Britain’s self-deprecating sense of
humour.
“The English do like being a bit different and having their own cheesy or
individual look,” Tomlenson said. After picking up his jumper, Nicky
Burgess, a 31-year-old lawyer, told AFP: “It’s kitsch, it’s cheesy but
because it’s this time of the year, people are more inclined to get on
board with this kind of thing, particularly on office parties and nights
out. “It’s great fun,” he said.
With competition rife to find the most eye-catching knitwear, those
incorporating three-dimensional elements, such as Rudolph’s nose or
Santa’s beard,
are especially sought after. “A few years ago, people would be like ‘oh no
I couldn’t wear that'” Emerson laughed. “But this year everyone is being
coming in saying ‘I want your craziest jumpers.'” (Jessica Berthereau,
AFP)