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Chicago-born Charlotte Hess may be one of the most educated knitwear designers around. She holds two undergrad degrees, from Grinnell College and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, plus a master’s of design and textiles from Scotland’s Glasgow School of Art. In between, she interned for two years in New Zealand. 

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Where to Shop

A winter’s chill in the air makes the elegant knitwear of Isobel & Cleo even more alluring. Peek through the window and you’ll often see proprietor Charlotte Hess at her loom. Passionate about traditional and increasingly rare knitting techniques, she uses yarns sourced from the States and abroad to produce unusual pieces with all kinds of texture. This is the kind of shop where you’re compelled to run your hands over every piece.

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"As an avid and obsessive knitter, I was overcome last year when I came across an inspirational studio and shop called Isobel and Cleo. Housed within was an inspirational, vibrant and tactile world of knitwear created by designer Charlotte Hess. This year the studio and expanded retail shop relocated to an amazing location at 45 Straight Wharf. Their knitted garments and curated collection of island-made, ethically-responsible items is a testament to the creative spirit of the island itself."

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"With a model for a mom, Charlotte Hess grew up in a world of high fashion, learning to knit at the tender age of eight. After graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she studied textiles at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. Her ravishing knitwear has since caught the discerning eye of fashion's elite, winning Charlotte the Emerging Designer Competition at the 2011 Charleston Fashion Week. As well as a development grant from the Scottish Arts Council."

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"Oh, hello, mohair maxi. COULD YOU BE ANY COZIER? Charlotte Hess, the woman behind Isobel & Cleo, knits all of her pieces by hand in Scotland or on Nantucket."

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"Seeing as I’m a sucker for texture, I had a bit of a heart-stop moment when I happened to wander across isobel and cleo’s etsy shop. It was one of those fortuitous discoveries-although it’s quite easy to come across fantastic stuff on etsy if you have a few hours to spend browsing, which is why I stay away most times because I get sucked into that black hole so easily! (Ah, etsy ♥ forever)..."

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