By Angela Bobo
NoVA natives might already be familiar with the unique knitwear that local designer Virginia Arrisueño produces each season with her label DeNada. Each piece is handcrafted in Arrisueño’s home country Peru and is influenced by her Latin upbringing with a focus on intricate patterns and practicality. With the release today of the brand’s A/W ‘14 collection we spoke with Arrisueño about her creative process, what to expect with the new collection and why her designs are the perfect fit for your fall looks.
Q: Can you describe the creative process? How many times a year do you travel to Peru to produce the pieces?
My creative process begins in my workspace. We have a showroom that is located in Washington, D.C. Listening to a lot of instrumental music, I’ll start to sketch. Once I feel that I have a good design concept, I’ll start to experiment with textures and different stitches
on my knitting machine or with my knitting needles. And from there, I’ll start to create patterns. The whole process is very personal. And the only people who get to see my sketches or samples are either my husband or my sister.
Once I have my samples made, I’ll travel to Peru to work with a group of artisans, who I have been working with for years. I travel to Peru one to two times a year, and am very fortunate to have this opportunity. I love the culture, and to see my extended family yearly is wonderful.
Q: Why did you decide to incorporate colors like charteuse, mauve and slate into your AW14 collection?
I like to joke around and say that I am a complete Gemini when it comes to designing. One season, I will design a very focused collection, and then the following year I will create a collection that is the complete opposite. Last year, I created a collection of bulky knits in a color palette that included somber shades of olive, gray, red, and black. And this year, my collection is on the lighter side and in brighter and bolder colors. This year is also the first year I got to create custom colors for my collection. With that freedom, I definitely went for my gut feeling and chose colors that I always loved and wanted to incorporate into my designs.
Q: Fall fashion is upon us. What is the best way to wear one of your scarves this season?
Colder temperatures calls for layering, and scarves are great accessories to accent any outfit, plus keep you warm. The majority of our scarves are designed to be worn in more than one way, giving our customers options on how to wear them with their fall wardrobe. For example, indoors our infinity scarves can be worn simply draped around the shoulder or when outdoors, double wrapped around the neck for a much warmer and cozier feel.
Q: Any plans of expanding your knitwear line to include sweaters and other pieces of clothing?
Definitely! We’re always looking to expand our collection. This year, we decided to include shrugs and wraps along with our scarves, hats, and gloves.
Q: Where are your designs sold locally?
Locally, we are sold at Redeem, located at 1810 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009. Our showroom, located at 52 O Street NW is also opened to the public, by appointment only.
To view the full collection, head over to the website.
