designer details

So close. The lining has been made, now, and just needs to be sewn in. I hand-sewed the collar and cut off the excess fabric at the sleeves today in addition to the construction of the lining out of slippery, finicky pink fabric. It needs hems, a pleat, and a buttonhole and then stick a fork in it, 'cause it's done.

Also, recently I was looking at the label of the gorgeous alpaca shawl-collar sweater that I bought at Stella over the holidays. The designer is one Catherine Malandrino, and just from glancing at her collection, I absolutely love her color palette and overall aesthetic; and, between the sweater that I own (which only appears to be machine made because of the seams) and the numerous sweater jackets and delicate knit tops, it also seems as though she has an intimate understanding of the versatility and sometimes unexpected refinement of knitwear. Go, knit-savvy fashion designers!

Hello, shawl collar. I like you a lot.

Plus, as I suspected, any beautifully made alpaca lace sweater that only costs $60 is an absolute steal. A lot of her pieces go for $250+, which is a little much for my college student budget. I feel lucky to have found it, and not only for the knowledge that it has a famous designer, either: it has quickly become one of my favorite tops.