Emerging British Brand AGR Crafts Vibrant Knitwear to Disrupt "Granny Stigma"

British designer Alicia Robinson is on a mission to make knitwear cool, and her emerging brand AGR is her first-hand experiment with reversing the “granny stigma” that tends to surround it, as she explained to SSENSE. The University of the Arts London graduate, who has collaborated with the likes of Nike and A-Cold-Wall*, launched her brand last June and has now released an exclusive capsule with the luxury e-tailer. Designed for London’s lively Notting Hill Carnival, the collection is brimming with colorful knit tops, bottoms and bucket hats, capturing Robinson’s expressive vision throughout.

“They immediately presume it’s going to be super tame and it has that granny stigma. Quite often I’ll get a DM or a message a couple days later once they’ve checked out my stuff — always very surprised at how mad and expressive my work is. I like letting people run assumptions and then surprising them,” Robinson told SSENSE.

The bulk of the new assortment is crafted in 100% cotton and represents a range of silhouettes, encompassing the likes of a tie-dye T-shirt, multicolor cargo shorts and colorblocked vest. One of the standouts in the range is the fuzzy mohair sweater, which features ribbed knit trimming and an eye-catching striped layout that spotlights a rainbow of hues. Two bucket hats complete the mix, with options in crochet and twill for texture variety.

“For me, street culture is being 100 percent authentic — being you. Doing and wearing whatever the fuck you want. Displaying how you feel and being true to yourself,” said the designer.

Pieces in the collection range from $185 USD for the Tie-Dye Bucket Hat, up to $630 USD for the MultiColor Striped Sweater and Multicolor Cargo Pants and all items are available to check out now on SSENSE’s webstore.

Elsewhere in fashion, sacai recently offered a refreshing take on fall outerwear with a vibrant floral jacquard jacket.