‘Paracadute’ wins 2025 Knit Design Award with a personal take on heritage and transformation
Loro Piana has announced Morgan Boyce and Simone Rizzato of Italy’s Accademia Costume e Moda as the winners of the 9th edition of its Knit Design Award. Their collaborative project Paracadute was selected for its personal narrative and interpretation of the theme Winter Legacy – Translating Linen into Heritage Knitwear.
“Our project explores the connection between us and the heritage of linen,” the designers shared. “For this reason, we started with Morgan, who worked in the companies that produced parachutes for the Allies war effort during WWII. These parachutes had linen as their base—following the war, these same parachutes were taken by her relatives and repurposed into dresses for the communities; some even as wedding dresses.”
Presented in Milan at Casa degli Artisti on May 14, under the patronage of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the winning concept was praised for balancing technical experimentation with Loro Piana’s core materials. “We aimed to make linen the protagonist in a winter project, combining the warmth and softness of cashmere with the lightness of linen to present a seasonless take on knitwear heritage,” said Boyce and Rizzato.
The duo will now further develop Paracadute at Loro Piana’s knitwear workshops in Piedmont alongside the brand’s artisans. The final piece will be showcased at Pitti Filati in Florence from July 1–3, 2025.
The Knit Design Award has, since its inception in 2016, positioned itself as a platform for international design students to engage deeply with Loro Piana’s materials and ethos. Each edition invites creative interpretations of iconic yarns, emphasizing tradition, innovation, and craft.
This year’s jury included Loro Piana CEO Damien Bertrand and figures such as Anna Dello Russo, Satoshi Kuwata, and Kimberly Drew. Their selection of Paracadute reflects the award’s broader aim: to connect personal history and textile tradition with new ways of thinking about design.
