‘I’m most proud of my team of local women knitters’
Fashion and textile designer Hope Macaulay had a vision but it was the support of some very special people that made her dream come true
Setting up a high-fashion-inspired knitting brand is no easy task – but Hope Macaulay managed it, and all from her home in rural Northern Ireland. She started the self-titled Hope Macaulay in 2020, handmaking stylish cardigans, jumpers, vests and tops with her team of local knitters.
Here, she talks to Imogen Cooper about her team of crafty local women and the inspiration behind her colourful designs – and what it’s like to employ her mum as a knitting delivery driver.
Tell me about your brand. We’re a knitwear company – everything we sell is handmade in Northern Ireland. Our colourful, chunky colossal knits are what we’re most known for. Our clothes are handmade by a group of 20 knitters. It’s a family business – my mum is our knitter co-ordinator, so she drives around Northern Ireland to all the knitters, collecting their pieces each week.
How did you start Hope Macaulay? I went to the University for the Creative Arts in Rochester in Kent and studied fashion textiles. For my final collection, I used beading and printing in my pieces, as well as creating knitwear. But at Graduate Fashion Week, everyone was talking about the knitwear. So I decided that’s what I’d focus on. I came home to Northern Ireland and started my brand. I worked in a supermarket at the same time, and then it all took off in 2020, so now I get to run my own business full-time.
Have you always loved knitting? Yes, my granny taught me how to knit with needles when I was four. Then, when I went to university, I was pushed to be creative. I loved the weight of super-chunky wool and it easier to knit with my hands than needles. I developed that technique in jacket form and taught all my knitters how to do it.
The designer knits have proved hugely popular
The designer knits have proved hugely popular
How does your design process work? I take a lot of inspiration from what’s trendy and the colours everyone’s wearing. It’s really important for us to get in on trends. But honestly, I just put together designs and colour combinations that I like – I’m so particular about it! I sketch a design for the piece and pass it on to my knitters, and they develop and knit it. Then we make some tweaks until we’re happy with the designs.
Hope loves employing local knitters
Hope loves employing local knitters
Do you ever find you run out of ideas? No, I always have plenty of new ideas – they’re never-ending! There are hundreds of colour combinations to choose from. If one design does really well, we think about other colours we can make it in.
How did you find your team of knitters? Facebook! We got hundreds of applications from people who wanted to be part of the team. It’s crazy how much talent there is here. There are 20 knitters, and each week they produce between three and five knitwear pieces, and then the next week my mum collects them and gives them the supplies for the next project.
Hope’s team knit with needles… and their fingers!
What are you most proud of? My team of local women knitters is so important to me and it’s what I absolutely love about my brand. It’s what I’m passionate about – and I love my home of Northern Ireland. I was told that to be successful in the fashion industry you have to go to London, Paris or New York. I’m really proud of having a successful fashion business in Northern Ireland, and I feel like supporting women in my community is so important as well.
What’s been your biggest achievement so far? We were featured in The New York Times and we got so many orders that we had to close the shop – we couldn’t fulfil any more. That was such a surreal moment. But just being able to do this as a job and employ a team is amazing!
How do you manage to switch off from thinking about your brand? To be honest, I don’t. I feel like I’m addicted to my business. I find it hard to stay away at the weekend – but there are times when I tell myself that I have to put my phone away. But it’s because I love the brand and what we do that it doesn’t feel like work.
What’s next for Hope Macaulay? We’re currently stocked in Anthropologie, Revolve and Free People, and the plan is to work with more retailers around the world. We developed a sister brand called Hope’s Wool, where you can buy our wool and knitting kits. That’s a really exciting project because we’re been delving into using Irish wool – it’s not easy, but it’s something we’re really keen to do.
• Hope’s pieces are available to buy online from hopemacaulay.com
There are 20 knitters, and each week they make between three and five knitwear pieces each