Using wool yarn and knitting techniques only, Rintaro Iino’ssculpturalknitwear collection elevates one of the oldest traditions of handicraft to a new level. The work of the MA-graduate of Oslo National Academy of the Arts is based on the story of the life of an actual New Zealander Merino wether sheep. Merinos are normally shorn annually, but this sheep escaped from the farm and wasn’t shorn for six years while it was hiding in a cave. As a result, his wool coat had become a guarding wall, an armour that protected him from predation, which earned him the name “Shrek”, after the fictional ogre. Rintaro has translated the story into a collection of sculptural knitwear that symbolises solitude in in the form of large knitted silhouettes, separating and protecting us from the pressures of the social world. All knitted elements - braided ruffle knits, knitted stuffed boa, knitted tubulars, cord knits and chunky sweaters - are linked by either hand knitting, knitting on a domestic machine or digital knitting. No sewing is used at all. All wool yarns used are from Hillesvåg, one of the biggest Norwegian wool yarn companies.
Rintaro Iino is the recipient of Internship Award. The Creative Directors of Trussardi, Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Isik, have personally selected Rintaro to intern at their studio in Berlin. Huseby and Isik are also the Creative Directors of GmbH, and Trussardi will be relaunched under their direction.
