Crochet often gets a bum rap, and whoever coined the phrase “granny-squares” wasn’t helping with crochet’s image. I’ll admit that I’m guilty of underestimating crochet in the past. It was the first needlework technique that I learned, and once I learned the basics, I thought that was all there was to it.
Montreal crochet virtuoso Jocelyn Picard is proving all the naysayers wrong with LYN, his line of crochet prototypes. Working the hook since he was 13, Picard has done a variety of shows and installations, as well as collaborations with fellow Canadians Denis Gagnon and UNTTLD. His work has also been featured in a number of magazines, including Italian Vogue. Mastering both traditional and modern techniques, Picard’s LYN is on an impressive and unpredictable path.
For Fall/Winter 2012, the unisex collection at LYN includes pull-overs with domed hoods, silhouettes similar to religious tunics, and matching leggings. There is an other-worldly feel as well as a cocoon-like quality to Picard’s creations. With both organic and sci-fi elements, he has created a paradoxical effect that you could only get with fabric manipulated by the art of crochet. If you look closely, you will see the panels and seams used for shaping: the pieces are more elaborate creations than one might at first think.