Knit for a King
Brooklyn's Ohio Knitting Mill has more sweaters than all of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.
by Andrea Cusick
Steven Tatar isn't a fashion designer, and up until his discovery of the Ohio Knitting Mills in 2004, he never had any aspirations to work in the industry. He is, first and foremost, a sculptor. His studio in Cleveland, Ohio happened to be within exploratory distance of the city's miill, which was founded in 1928, and amazingly, was still running - albeit with just a few remaining machines and workers. "I was just poking around and exploring it one day," says Tatar. "which I frequently will do when I come across old industrial spaces. I hoped to find some machines, tools, and materials that I could use in my sculpture work."
However, after meeting the owner, Gary Rand, who was about to close the factory, Tatar was let in on the secret stash of vintage knitwear that Rand, along with his father and grandfather, had been accumulating since 1947. "When I opened these boxes, it was like opening the proverbial treasure chest: bundle after bundle of awesome sweaters, each one brightly colored, intricately patterned, and unique." Knowing that he'd find more a market in New York than the Midwest, where thrift stores are notoriously cheap vintage goldmines, Tatar brought the historic collection to Brooklyn.
The Ohio Knitting Mills store on Boerum Hill's Smith Street gives off an industrial vibe, and Tatar's extensive archives are almost entirely one-off. "There are pieces that really shout out their era, like our beatnik brushed Orlon tops with oversized cowl collars, or the knit T-shirts for men from the late '40s, which were sometimes known as 'French poor boy shirts' - very postwar Euro." Most of the garments have been made using Raschel machines, producing a type of warp knit that's now practically extinct, and therefore not so easily knocked off. "It helps to be in an environment where customers are comfortable with trying totally new and different looks," adds Tatar.
And, while the postwar-Euro may not float your boat, with an estimated 20,000 items still unsorted, there's sure to be something to suit your taste. |