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Vancouver is arguably the most beautiful and expensive city in the world to live in. For most, the goal is simply to live IN it. We all have to work, and work hard to keep up with Our Lady of VanCity, but there are a select few who know the score. Why not live in the world's most liveable city and hold down one of the raddest jobs she has to offer? We all know somebody who goes to work smiling. What are these jobs and how do people get them? More importantly, are they as awesome as they sound... |
photo: Kelsey Klassen
The bright blue sign of the RIZE Pop-up space stands out starkly against the grey Vancouver sky - POPPING UP THIS MONTH: KOVE West Coast Knitwear. Having seen pop-up's in cities around the world, I'm excited to see what my old friend from high school has chosen to do with hers. Nearing close, Kyla Leslie is chatting with a customer when I walk in, about whether kove knitwear could be unisex. Eyeing the piece the woman is holding (a thickly ribbed cowl made out of a light grey wool and acrylic yarn) I decide a man would look dead sexy wearing one of those.
Leslie has been busy since I last saw her. A self professed "corporate school drop-out, having a mid-life renaissance," she has taken an age-old tradition passed down by the women in her family and blended it with a keen eye for west coast style to create the stunningly beautiful, and successful accessory line, kove. Since being listed as a featured seller on etsy, Christmas Giftlisted by the Vancouver Sun and featured by our own DIYVR to name a few, she has seen demand for her patterns soar.
What's the difference between crochet and knitting?
The tools. Materials you can use whatever, it's just a different technique. With knitting, you always have your stitches on two hooks, crochet there's one hook and you're dealing with one stitch at a time. Crochet is easier than knitting to keep your tension. And it's a bit more forgiving too. If you make a mistake you can go back to that spot.
All my stuff is crochet. I'm faster with it and like it better.
Do you make every piece yourself?
Yes. I'm trying to find somebody but crochet looks different depending who does it. So, for example, if my sister were to pick this up and help me, it would look a lot tighter together because her tension is different. It's kind of like handwriting that way. So it's hard to just say "You know how to crochet, make this for me." Just so everything is consistent.
Who taught you?
Both my grandmothers, my dad's mom especially is a phenomenal craftswoman, she's perfect at everything. And my mom as well, I would sit and make afghans with my mom.
I stopped when I was a teenager and when I came back from India, I got back into it again. It was sort of this perfect storm of having the time, and the interest and a real desire to get back to creating and things that I really liked when I was a kid. My grandmother had passed away, so getting back to something she was really talented at doing felt good.
And I think in general our generation is searching for things to connect to in terms of traditional production. Ie. DIY movement. You stay very connected with your customers. There's a story - something extra special about it because it has been made by hand. It hasn't been made overseas and marketed as something else, you know?
How did it become a business?
It was an experiment, absolutely. It was something I was really enjoying doing. I had discovered etsy and thought Hey, let me try this out. There is very little risk associated with starting your own etsy store and they've made it very accessible. There's an incredible wealth of knowledge they share with their sellers - they want you to succeed. Cargoh is great as well - two Vancouver people who started it. It's similar and way less crowded than etsy.
You're tapped into customers all over the world. My stuff has gone to Finland, Australia, Germany before a lot of people in Vancouver discovered it. People who are valuing that method of production are all around the world.
Then I was etsy's featured seller in September of 2010 and that was pretty much the launch point. Just getting that kind of exposure - being on the front page I had 30,000 hits in two days.
Did you have a party?
It was a knitting party at home [laughs] They definitely prepare you, but I wasn't quite sure... There was wholesale that came out of that, all kinds of exposure which was fantastic. I was knitting probably 16 hours a day.
What's a typical day?
I am a one woman operation, so it varies. Beginning of August I was doing design, playing with different colours and textures. From there photography, branding, setting up the store and getting ready for the Pop-up shop. I try to not just sit and knit for 16 hours. Each piece takes half an hour to five hours depending on complexity, but I'm getting faster!
Are you still learning new techniques?
Absolutely. There is a wealth of information online, or I'll sit in the Chapter's book store and it's great to look through my mom and grandmothers' old books for more traditional styles. The necklace reminds me of the macrame my mom used to do.
Describe the kove aesthetic?
Being from the west coast, we don't really deal with winter. It's not like I need a scarf to go with a heavy winter coat, so pieces that can be instead of coats. Transition wraps, things you'd wear to the office. It's my landscape, that's what inspires me.
photo: Kyla Leslie
How do you come up with the patterns?
I get most of my ideas when I'm producing. So making something I've already designed and an idea will come to me to modify it for next season. Function is important, especially accessories like these, they need to do a couple things.
What's the most popular piece?
The Captain Fringe and the Mainland Warmer
Biggest perk?
The diversity, one day is about marketing and PR and another is just sitting and crocheting and being in my own headspace. The freedom and flexibility to work where and when I want to and not being confined to a 9-5 schedule of production. I work better when I have a lot of different things on the go.
And you always have a present for someone in a pinch!
If you could do something else, what would it be?
I'm interested in connecting to artisans in other parts of the world, so getting back to India. I don't know what that would look like, but contributing to the organisations that are helping to develop traditional textile production in India. A lot of places are doing that for social good.
Are you a Guerilla knitter?
The knit bombs?? [laughs] I haven't
But would you tell me if you were....
What's the strangest thing you've seen crocheted?
Hmmm. Yoko, out of the states, she crocheted around glasses, I think she wrapped the glasses though. There are some dirty things out there. Regretsy is good for finding tragic things.
What would be your "Desert Island" skill?
I could crochet some shelter out of leaves. Totally weaving. You can take it on a really exaggerated scale.
Are knitting and crocheting a lost art?
No. The internet and the surge in DIY publications are keeping it alive. It's up to our generation to take it further. Maiwa's great (on Granville Island) for bringing in expert knitters, they do a symposium every year with 30-50 workshops on different textile production - natural dyeing, knitting, weaving... I was speaking to an artist who's exhibiting right now, I guess a woman from the UK has written a book on a different kind of knitting, in rows? Just the idea that we're taking something traditional and finding new ways to do it is fascinating. I have to look into it more.
Will you teach your kids how to knit?
Probably... I've taught my friends!
Do they make things for you?
....
I wish I could translate that look you just gave me.
Have you ever thought of teaching?
Yes. I thought about doing it as part of the Pop-up shop, running classes, but it's such a busy season it's too much. I've though of putting kits together. I know Wool & the Gang does knitting kits, they're based in the UK. You can order the stuff or you buy a kit and they give you the needles and instructions and they've got videos online so anyone can learn how to do it. It's daunting, but you just start small and work your way up.
Why Vancouver?
My experience with bringing kove out this season in particular, being able to connect to a variety of people who have taken an interest in my work.
Favourite:
- Venue: Commodore, Orpheum and the Electric Owl on Main Street is awesome.
- Drink: Pimms
- Charity: Food Bank. I've been involved with Canstruction before which is a big Food Bank fundraiser in February - I have a connection with it and think it's important.
- Inspiration: Riding my bike around the city you see stuff and it grabs you. I live in East Van. I like the Drive, Main St., biking through Strathcona everyday. My parents' house is fantastic too.
What has the Pop-up experience been like?
This is something that came across my plate last January, that RIZE was going to be offering these spaces. So I put together a proposal and pitched a panel of PR people, RIZE owners and the Mount Pleasant Business Association on my concept and was selected in March and given the October slot, which is perfect. It all came together really quickly, I wanted to go with a minimal concept and stick with a west coast aesthetic. Being a small business I had no budget to come in and install, so between my dad and friends it was a group effort.
How long is the pop up store open?
Until October 30th - at Kingsway and 10th.
What's next?
After that I'm doing the Got Craft show and the One of a Kind show in December. Then my stuff will be at Lynn Steven, Yyoga and Fine Finds in Yaletown this season.
Afterward, I drooled over the wares while silently cursing my year-long moratorium on shopping. Two days later, though, I got news that I'd won a kove Chevron scarf from a contest on The Anthology, and am still doing my happy dance.
The cold weather won't wait for you to knit your own, so don't miss the final days of the kove pop-up shop.
