This year, we've created new versions of our logo T-shirts: "In Search Of The Lost Stitch" and "Poetry In Every Row." Meri will share the story behind the designs.
- Comment from Meri -
I've always wanted a cool logo T-shirt but struggled to find one that truly resonated with me. For Tokuko and me, who wear smaller sizes, men's oversized T-shirts are too baggy. Yet, I'm also not fond of the feminine, waist-cinched designs or flimsy fabrics often found in women's T-shirts. So, I was constantly on the hunt for the perfect T-shirt. While cool designs for women are more common now, they used to be hard to find. If I was going to make one, I decided it should be knitting-related. That was our starting point.
The concept I came up with was to "create a knitting logo T-shirt without using the word 'Knit'." The idea was to use words that only fellow knitting enthusiasts would understand. This led to designs like "Circular Needles," "Wrap & Turn," and "Magic Loop."
However, I feel like this concept has been imitated recently, and sticking to the same thing isn't the amirisu way. We need to evolve.
While pondering what kind of design to create, I saw a T-shirt worn by American actress Zendaya during the promotion of her movie "Drama" (released in Japan in early summer). The logo read "To be loved is to be known." It was a philosophical quote from a theologian, made into a T-shirt for the promotion by Zendaya's friend and stylist. I haven't seen the movie, so I don't know if it's a quote from the film. The design was wonderful, and it sparked the idea of wanting to create something similar! That's why one of our designs this time features bold text.
So, what kind of logo should it be? I decided to aim for a crossover between literature and knitting.
"In Search Of The Lost Stitch" is taken from the English title of Proust's novel, "In Search Of Lost Time." I've always liked the sound of that title, and thought it would be perfect. It became a slogan along the lines of "Searching for dropped stitches." I chose it to also convey the meaning of taking on challenges without fear of failure. I briefly considered using the original French, but thought no one would understand it, so I decided against it.
The other design is "Poetry In Every Row." While not a book title, it conveys the idea that each row knitted becomes a poem. It's about enjoying the process, pouring thought into each row, recording a moment of oneself, and seeing each row as literature. That's the image I have.
At the very bottom, in small letters, I added "knitting is breathing." This actually started because the amirisu logo at the bottom was too small and unbalanced, and I wanted to make it a bit longer. I wanted to attach a motto-like phrase of amirisu, so I came up with this idea. I feel like I found a good phrase.
I hope these T-shirts will be loved by everyone this summer and next year. I'm already looking forward to wearing them.
[Click here for product details]
amirisu Original T-shirt -In Search Of The Lost Stitch-
amirisu Original T-shirt -Poetry In Every Row-