“[Crochet] has a one-off, handcrafted feel that is very hard to come by,” they say. “We were drawn to the bohemian feel and style of crochet when visiting coastal regions in Europe, USA and Australia ... What we normally find is bright and bold crochet apparel, so we put a sophisticated spin on it, inspired by a chic grandma that would crochet blankets and homewares and making it modern.”

According to the Crochet Guild of America, the craft most likely originated from ancient Chinese needlework techniques, and takes its name from the Middle French word for “hook”, which is “croc” or “croche”. It most likely made its way to Australia via Irish convicts in the 1800s and there are examples from early 1900s’ finishing school materials, though Australia’s most famous crocheter is arguably Margaret Ann Field, whose work is part of the Sydney Powerhouse Museum’s collection. Speaking of the museum, it also holds the dress worn in 2009 by actress Cate Blanchett that helped launch Romance Was Born international acclaim.

Culturally, crocheting has become synonymous with organisations such as the Country Women’s Association, and as part of charity drives to help victims of bushfires. In 2019, thousands of crocheters turned their hooks to making pouches for injured wildlife in the catastrophic bushfires that raged through NSW and Victoria.

Perhaps it’s the relatively low barrier to entry, as opposed to some other handicrafts, that makes crocheting such a popular pastime (in Sydney, Class Bento offers one-day classes in making “granny squares”), and fashion trend. And it doesn’t stop with clothing; crochet cushions are available from homewares retailers from Adairs for less than $50 to the $575 Ashish one (via Matchesfashion.com), and Goodbye Baby’s crocheted bags featured on the runway at the Melbourne Fashion Festival.

Crochet is also making a big splash on the resale market, especially Gen-Z’s platform of choice, Depop, which reports searches for crochet have more than doubled over the past six months.

Dara Petlueng, curation and content coordinator for Depop Australia, says the trend is likely popular because it feeds into the “revival of vintage and handmade aesthetics” and is “accessible for consumers to incorporate in subtle or statement ways”.

Loading

And despite it having its roots firmly in summer fashion, Petlueng has this advice for wearing a spot of crochet in the cooler months: “A crochet cardigan or dress can be layered with a complementary turtleneck, tights, and boots. Crochet accessories can be incorporated into any seasonal wardrobe in items such as bags, earrings and crochet headwear that can provide some warmth ... as an alternative to traditional winter headwear such as a beanie or beret.”