Dora Black / 15 July 2025 / Categories: Movie and TV Shows, TV Show

Hope Macaulay BBC Our Lives Series 9 the Social Knitwork

If you missed the Social Knitwork you can watch again on catch up

Open Air is an incredible store pop up space I’ve actually been to at 8302 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. CA, 90069 I have actually been to. A concept store that has hosted everyone from independent designers to Nike inside their stone like space brought to life and transformed by the designers and brands they host.

I caught the end of the program by mistake, I will go back and watch the whole thing on I player as I was excited to see the BBC helping an independent artist and designer doing things differently in Northern Ireland. Using some recycled and sustainable yarns sourced in India she has harnessed a workforce of old fashioned hand knitters to produce chunky knit cardigans, dresses, bralets oversized hippy like garments in stripy colourways reminiscent of the 1970’s striped tank tops all the rage except heavier.

I was struck by the choice to go to Los Angeles to promote them where the sun always shines and the need for a merino or alpaca chunky knit over your bikini is unlikely but hey the evenings are cool, the women skinny and it made for great exciting anything is possible content for the BBC.

I don’t know how many hand knitted cardigans and jumpers Hope sold in LA where we saw a lot of trying on and sharing of images and videos by influencers and a few stylists blagging the £500 a piece jumpers for free for their “NBA” “NFL” clients. Nobody pays for anything in Los Angeles. It’s the promotional capital of the world where a few haves meet a lot more have nots but hey That’s Hollywood.

That all aside what Hope Macaulay is doing is absolutely fantastic. Engaging a group of mainly women in Northern Ireland to make her very unique multi coloured garments and then creating a spin off business to allow consumers to have a go at making their own selling knitting kits and brightly coloured wools through Hope’s Yarns.

She is also making complimentary T shirts using sustainable cottons produced using 50% less water than regular cotton production and customised denim garments with whimsical wool patchwork applique.

Who’s the customer? maybe the Hayley Paige bride, a girl who can afford £500 for one bright statement piece, girly and fun.

I don’t see anyone over the age of 25 putting on a chunky knit bralet at £206 each myself and I wouldn’t wear a piece myself, too bulky for a curvy girl and too expensive for a piece so out there distinctive and noticeable as fashion in the USA especially moves towards minimalist design and quiet luxury. Hope Maccauley’s garments are not quiet in anyway but perhaps she is reaching a much younger audience with her fun whimsical sweater. I noticed on Instagram young gorgeous influencers like Tomma Hagenow from Belgium wearing one of Hope Macauley’s sweaters, a sweet chunky white with a pale pink appliqué heart, very cute indeed on the blonde 20 something styled with her bike and Starbucks on her pastel inspired feed.

Not sure if this was a paid promo of if Tomma is a customer, it didn’t say.

All in all I think it is fantastic what Hope Macauley is doing and I wish her all the best. I absolutely love it she is encouraging a younger audience to invest in their textiles and the people that are making the garments, each garment comes with a label telling the customer who made their custom garment with love. She has also adopted a business model where garments are knitted as they are ordered which significantly reduces over production and waste.

I am very happy to see the BBC lifting up an independent female in light of the recent controversy’s over the Hoyo film, Gaza How to survive a war zone, and the Gregg Wallace debacle both messes I believe we are not getting the full picture on but that’s another snoop altogether.

I am looking forward to watching the whole documentary The social Knitwork start to finish and am so encouraged by what knitwear designer Hope Macaulay has achieved thus far. Kudos to her for changing the way a new audience see clothing and I absolutely applaud her ethics and goals for the future.