Former James Bond actor Daniel Craig has ruined dress-up plans for your upcoming Christmas in July party. Ugly sweaters were the uniform of choice to signal allegiance to Santa Claus, plum pudding and egg nog until Craig snuffed out their sarcastic appeal.
In the latest advertising campaign for luxury label Loewe, Craig wears intricately patterned knitwear with military pants, yellow-tinted glasses and a mop of hair. The result is vastly different from the buff secret agent who made tight blue swimwear from Italian label la Perla acceptable in Casino Royale, but his fashion license is still valid.
The Loewe knitwear is part of a collection inspired by the work of US artist Richard Hawkins and designed by Jonathan Anderson, who co-chaired this year’s Met Gala alongside Anna Wintour. The range will arrive in store soon, but with plain wool jumpers currently starting at $1600, you had better start saving, knitting or looking at more affordable alternatives to adopt Craig’s creepy-adjacent cool look.
Daniel Craig, in the latest Loewe campaign photographed by David Sims, offers winter inspiration after his hot Bond summer era in Casino Royale.Credit: David Sims, supplied
“Patterned knitwear is in high demand,” says vintage dealer James Nolen, who operates online as Mr Smart Melbourne. “People are now looking beyond the bright colours and at quality that lasts with these statement pieces.”
“Coogi knitwear from the ’80s is incredibly popular. Secondhand jumpers can command upwards of $400. I don’t like calling them ugly sweaters or even Cosby sweaters like the Americans who watched The Cosby Show growing up. They’re just great fashion pieces.”
Alongside vintage finds, Nolen champions intricate knitwear from Melbourne label Geccu, founded by Con Skapetis, the former head knitter at Coogi.
With a Japanese knitting machine, the label operates out of Lygon St, East Brunswick, but Australians have been slow to return to the multicoloured trend feverishly embraced by Kath Day-Knight in the comedy series Kath & Kim.
Knitwear from Melbourne-based brand Geccu.
Geccu may be nice and different, but for some local tastes, it’s too unusual.
“It’s the Americans who are ordering our jumpers,” says Stanley Skapetis, Con’s son and Geccu’s manufacturing director. “Everyone, from rappers to UFC fighters, loves to wear something that attracts attention.”
“So many Australians are stuck wearing plain colours.”
Craig’s show of support for colourful knitwear may finally drag Australian men away from the safety of navy crew-neck jumpers or football club patterns. Stylist Elliot Garnaut is already putting plain jumpers into mothballs.
“I’ve been on board since discovering British brand SS Daley, who have incredible knitwear,” says Garnaut. “Harry Styles is a huge fan, so that was enough for me.”
“My advice is to let loud knitwear do all the talking. Wear them with plain jeans or trousers.”
And if someone calls your jumper ugly, wear it as a badge of pride.
“The term is as endearing as Kath & Kim,” Garnaut says. “Thanks to Balenciaga, ugly aesthetics are everywhere. If you love it, wear it.”
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