Leeni Hoimela Takes the Best of Fashion for Her Knits

Leeni Hoimela is one of Finland’s most popular knitwear designers today, known for her impeccable sense of style and timelessly beautiful designs. She has published several knitting books, the latest of which came out this autumn. Nordic Chic is a celebration of the best elements of Scandinavian style: timeless knitwear designs, luxurious materials, a dash of playfulness and a generous dose of practicality and comfort. 

We asked Leeni to tell us more about her design process — and share some of her style tips!

What has your journey as a knitter been like?

“I recently realised that I’ve been knitting for at least 40 years. I remember wearing a neon-pink fluffy sweater I’d made myself in my third-grade school photo, when I was nine. So, when you think about it, knitting must be my longest-lasting love affair.

My biggest knitting obsession began 15 years ago, when I noticed I was turning up at work in a new sweater every week. At the time, I was working in news media, where the work was very abstract and hectic. Knitting offered the perfect counterbalance to the race to break the news. At first, I followed other people’s patterns, but it wasn’t long before I started designing my own. I’ve always had this attitude towards life where I think, ‘How hard can it be?’ And I soon realised that knitwear design wasn’t actually all that difficult.”

What makes your knits stand out from the work of other designers?

“I couldn’t say! You’d have to ask someone else, because people often tell me, ‘This looks so much like you’ or ‘I knew straight away that this was your design.’

I design knitwear for modern urban wardrobes. My starting point is to create classic garments that have one unexpected twist. I absolutely love details, but I try to keep in mind that less is yes — one special detail is enough, and I don’t need to cram everything I know into a single garment.”

Your book is titled Nordic Chic: Knitting a Modern Wardrobe. What does Nordic style mean to you?

“Actually, there isn’t just one way of dressing that defines Nordic style. Each country has its own take on it. Finns, for example, love grey, value comfort and don’t want to draw too much attention to themselves. We spend less money on clothes than our neighbouring countries, but when we do buy something, we want it to be good quality. A Finnish wardrobe classic is a high-quality black wool winter coat that you wear for ten years straight! We also love stripes and bold Marimekko prints, but above all, our style is defined by a certain everyday practicality.

Then there are the Swedes. They have their royal family, and they love a bit of embellishment, both in their clothing and architecture. Many people today know the terms Stockholm style and old-money aesthetic, with its cream cable-knit sweaters and luxurious fluffy knits. And yet, dressing is still quite relaxed: in Stockholm, you can easily pair a sweater with running leggings, trainers and a long coat.

The Danes, on the other hand, are the quirky ones. Of all the Nordic dressers, they are perhaps the most chic, but Danish style also has a playful quality to it, perhaps even a touch of imperfection. They have an incredible knack for putting things together effortlessly and always looking good.

So, Nordic style can mean very different things. But personally, I love the idea that I don’t have to be the same person every day. Sometimes I can blend into the background, and sometimes I can be more posh.”

Which designs in your book are closest to your heart?

“I actually have three favourites. First, there’s the white cable-knit sweater Victoria, named after the Crown Princess of Sweden. I think you could design 30 white cable-knit sweaters in a year, and they would still all be different!

The second is Madeleine, the burgundy sweater I’d almost like to live in. It’s also named after a Swedish princess, by the way. I just throw it on without giving it a second thought, and that’s exactly what the best everyday wardrobe staples are like.

My third favourite is the fluffy Sanna sweater. It lifts you out of the everyday, and it’s the one to put on when you’re feeling a bit rubbish about yourself. I’ve never received as many compliments on any other sweater as I have on Sanna. It takes its name from one of our very own ‘royals’, our former prime minister Sanna Marin.”

How can knitters learn to incorporate their handmade garments into their everyday wardrobes so they don’t just end up gathering dust in the closet?

“I wouldn’t necessarily give tips on how to put outfits together. Instead, I’d encourage people to think about the knits they already have in their wardrobes and which ones they actually wear before starting a new project. Knitting is an expensive and time-consuming luxury hobby, so it’s worth investing your time and money in garments you’ll wear almost every day. Personally, for example – and this might be an unpopular opinion – I’m not a fan of stripes. Even though knitting them is fascinating, I no longer make striped sweaters for myself because I’ve realised I never actually wear them.

So I’d encourage everyone to unapologetically be themselves. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting to change. Of course, I love trying new things, too, but I start with smaller knits, such as hats, socks or mittens, and see whether I actually end up wearing them.

Another important idea in my book is that you can knit the same designs in different materials. For example, if you knit a summer top in a heavier wool, it becomes a winter vest that you can wear over a turtleneck. Knitting patterns are like recipes: simply change an ingredient and see what happens!”

What are the cornerstones of your own knitted wardrobe?

“Black turtlenecks and white cable-knit sweaters. And definitely pieces with a funnel neck, a slightly raised neckline about ten centimetres high. It’s not only elegant but practical, too. It keeps you warm in winter, but if a high collar starts to feel unpleasant when you come indoors, you can simply fold it inwards.”

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

“Can I say clothing stores?” (laughs.) “I absolutely love fashion: I read fashion magazines, watch runway shows and follow how trends eventually make their way into the high street. It’s not about wanting to copy whatever happens to be fashionable. Instead, ideas and inspiration develop as I think about which elements of fashion might appeal to knitters. Which ones can be translated into knitwear, and which are so difficult that they’re best left on the catwalk?

I believe people want to knit the kinds of clothes they would also buy in a shop. That’s the foundation of my entire approach to knitwear design.”

What do you find most enjoyable about knitwear design? And what is the most challenging part?

“Actually, it’s one and the same thing: problem-solving. Perhaps that’s why I love knitting cables so much. There’s something intellectually stimulating about them, and it’s incredibly satisfying to watch the knitted fabric come to life.

I think a lot about the kinds of patterns knitters want to read. For example, I don’t want to create ten separate sets of instructions for ten different sizes within the same pattern, forcing readers to constantly jump from one section to another. So, when designing, I have to strike a balance between the important parts of a garment that need to be shaped differently for each size and the parts where a couple of stitches here or there really don’t matter. The most rewarding thing is when everything works out exactly as I had imagined. On the other hand, it’s terribly disappointing when you think you’ve got all the calculations right, only to discover that the numbers don’t add up after all.”

Give us a travel tip for the Nordic countries! Where should knitters head?

“Copenhagen has an incredible number of great yarn shops. One example is Uldstedet, near Nørreport Station, which is owned by Sus Gepard, the founder of the Gepard Garn yarn brand. I always stay at the same hotel in Copenhagen, right next to Uldstedet, and after visiting the yarn shop, I usually head to Torvehallerne, the nearby food market. It’s a lovely, relaxed way to spend some time. And of course, Knitting for Olive’s shop in Copenhagen is a must-visit destination for many knitters.

You see so many people wearing their own hand-knitted sweaters in Copenhagen, and it’s fun to take photos of them. The way people use colour there is also different and inspiring.”

Alongside knitwear design, you have a day job as editor-in-chief in a Finnish crafts magazine. What do you do to unwind from all things craft-related?

“Running is my way of clearing my head. Usually, after about 32 minutes on the treadmill, I reach a kind of flow state where I realise I’m not thinking about anything at all. Exercise is also a way for me to solve problems. I might be staring at one particular spot on the wall while running, and suddenly it hits me how to work a certain lace pattern.

So you could say that running is a bit like knitting for me!”

TEXT: MAIJA KANGASLUOMA

Learn more:
Nordic Chic: Knitting a Modern Wardrobe