Status: In Development
Started on July 25, 2026
Last updated on August 11, 2026

This project started from our latest wall art, No.41 After-the-Rain, and from a fairly practical gap in our line at the same time: we do not have many lighter, short-sleeve knits for the months between seasons.

We wanted to see whether the bright, layered colour of the painting could be translated into something lighter that would work around late summer and early autumn, and then come back again in spring. Reproducing the painting exactly in knit would be difficult, especially with so many colour changes and smaller painted details, so from the beginning we knew the garment would need to simplify and reinterpret it rather than copy it directly.

The overall direction still follows the bright, high-contrast colour language we often use, but here the focus is less on a single large motif and more on how several colours can move across the knit through a repeating pattern.

It also felt like a good project for our own workshop. Working with multiple colours in one piece is something we are very comfortable with, which gave us more freedom to keep the palette lively without simplifying it too early.

Started on July 25, 2026

The starting point

From the beginning, we knew this would be a short-sleeve style designed specifically for the transitional part of the year.

Most of our stronger colour pieces have been developed as jumpers or heavier knits, so we wanted to see how the same approach could work in something lighter and easier to wear when the weather is less predictable.

The first idea was built around a repeating zigzag pattern with several bright colours running through the body. Rather than using one large image or motif, the colour itself does most of the work here.

We wanted it to feel recognisably John and Alice, but in a different way: still colourful, still quite graphic, but lighter in both weight and overall mood.

Updated on July 30, 2026

Yarn and shape

Unlike many of our usual styles, we decided quite early that we did not want to use wool for this one.

We chose to start with one of our organic cotton yarns instead. Breathability was part of the reason, but colour was just as important. Traditional wool yarns can sometimes be more limited when we are looking for very clean, bright shades, and for this piece we wanted the palette to feel fresher and more suited to spring and the end of summer.

For the shape, we started from the slimmer, lightweight fit we previously used for No.08 Noir-Blossom. It is closer to the body than our usual oversized silhouettes, which felt more suitable for a short-sleeve knit.

We did make one fairly specific change to the sleeve. The original sleeve shape did not sit quite naturally with the repeated zigzag pattern, so we adjusted the proportions and construction to let the pattern continue through the garment more cleanly.

Once the first sketch and colour arrangement were settled, we moved straight into the first sample.

Updated on August 11, 2026

The first sample

The first sample came together quite smoothly.

We were slightly unsure at the beginning whether working with this many colours would create problems once the design moved from the sketch into actual knitting, but it turned out to be quite straightforward for us. Having the sampling and technical side close to us in the workshop meant we did not have to simplify the colour arrangement very much for production.

The finished sample is very close to the original design, which does not always happen on a first try.

There is one thing we are still unsure about: the blue.

On the sketch, the blue looked cleaner and more saturated. In the actual cotton yarn, it has come out a little greyer and quieter than we expected. It is not necessarily wrong, but at the moment we are not sure whether it gives the whole colour combination the freshness we originally wanted.

The weather has also been fairly grey during the recent typhoon days, so rather than making that decision indoors, we are going to wait for a clear day and try the sample on again in natural light.

For now, the overall shape and pattern feel close to where we want them. The main question is whether the blue stays, or whether we look for something brighter before moving on to the next sample.