Retreat is part garment-making, part artistic endeavor. Each handmade item is taken through a meticulous programming and threading process intended to experiment with code, patterns, typography and geometric shapes. The result is unique clothing items which can be ordered as they are or crafted as custom-made pieces.
Electronic machine knitting allows for patterns and drawings to be almost “printed” in textile. We sketch and draw by hand, convert our sketches into digital art, then knit. The fabric is transformed into clothing - and sometimes into art pieces or installations. Retreat investigates the connection between craft, home-made textiles, unpaid labor and women’s competence with technology.
Our work began during the pandemic when digital designer Cristina Talpa took a break from her full-time job and focused on artistic work. Knitting and crafts has been part of her interests and also ran in her family. Her mother knit pullovers during the Moldovan ‘90s economic crisis and her grandmother wove and produced carpets.
We are inspired by artists like Louise Bourgeois, Faith Wilding and Rosemarie Trockel, who employed knitting and crocheting as both a material and a feminist tool, connecting the history of craft as “women’s work” to that of repressive domesticity.
Electronic machine knitting allows for patterns and drawings to be almost “printed” in textile. We sketch and draw by hand, convert our sketches into digital art, then knit. The fabric is transformed into clothing - and sometimes into art pieces or installations. Retreat investigates the connection between craft, home-made textiles, unpaid labor and women’s competence with technology.
Our work began during the pandemic when digital designer Cristina Talpa took a break from her full-time job and focused on artistic work. Knitting and crafts has been part of her interests and also ran in her family. Her mother knit pullovers during the Moldovan ‘90s economic crisis and her grandmother wove and produced carpets.
We are inspired by artists like Louise Bourgeois, Faith Wilding and Rosemarie Trockel, who employed knitting and crocheting as both a material and a feminist tool, connecting the history of craft as “women’s work” to that of repressive domesticity.
Ethics
Each item is made by hand in Berlin with materials that are sometimes new, sometimes recycled. This is a woman-run small business. There is no exploitation of people or resources at any point in the process. The natural fibers come from manufacturers that have sustainability certificates for their fair treatment of animals. As well, the use of wool means your product is made with little water waste during production in comparison to synthetic fabrics. Our goal is to make high-quality, long-lasting and ethical products. If you treat our garments with the same care we use to make them, they should last you many years.Custom and Collaborations
You can choose what your piece looks like. You can pick your colors and patterns in collaboration with the designer. We are also interested in collaborations with other fashion designers or artists. For people interested in learning machine knitting or experimenting with the craft, we also offer workshops. Get in touch with us for more details.