As we head into chillier days and our outfits start seeing more layers, one key piece in everyone's wardrobe is making its Fall debut. The cozy sweater is a quintessential piece of comforting knitwear every closet needs. Back in the 1970s, knitwear was even bigger; with funky patterns and bold colour combinations, 'the sweater' could be an outfit in itself. One '70s designer was doing it better than the rest, and her name is Claudia Skoda.
Dominating the Berlin scene of underground designers, Skoda took the basic knitwear we all love and created subversive, innovative designs. Through her unconventional design practice, she was able to take your grandma's knit sweater and transform it into something modern, conceptual and removed from the clichés of knitwear. Her work pushed the limits of femininity and re-contextualized the craft often associated with domestic life.
Beyond the more social ideas of her work, Skoda made clothes she wanted to wear, clothes that were cool, unlike anything anyone was able to find at the time. She was attuned to the cultural movements of the decade, and it shows in her avid followers, which included Cher and David Bowie.
Check out i-D's article on her latest exhibition below, which includes more iconic looks from her '70s and '80s collections.
Sarah Moroz