isobelandcleo

Charlotte Hess picked up her first set of knitting needles at the age of 8 and quickly put them down again. It wasn’t until her semester abroad in Scotland that she became enamored with knitwear and it’s textural possibilities. Upon her return to the USA she transferred to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she received a BFA in Fine Arts and Fashion. This was followed by internships with Karen Walker and Nom*d in New Zealand, a Masters degree from the Glasgow School of Art. It was during her time abroad that she started her Etsy shop as a way to procrastinate while writing a midterm paper! "Isobel" and "Cleo" are 2 of her favorite names in the world, the names of her mother and grandmother. After finishing her masters, she put up her graduate collection on Etsy as a way to make some money and soon she was being blogged about almost daily! With this encouragement she decided to pursue her own label. This led to a grant awarded by the Scottish Arts Council. She was eventually headhunted by the URBN Corporation, parent company to Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie to design sweaters for their Free People brand. In March 2011, won the Emerging Designers Competition at Charleston Fashion Week. Currently, she spends her time in her workroom on Nantucket Island and the UK. Every piece is designed and handmade on Nantucket Island. When away, Charlotte scours the globe looking for the best materials for her collection and chooses to work with companies that have fair workers rights practices and/or produce sustainable yarns. Charlotte sells her label, isobel & cleo online and in stores in the USA and abroad. She also works with private clients to create custom knit garments. Charlotte has had her work featured in Vogue, Lucky Magazine, N Magazine, Nantucket Today, and Nylon and Elle Magazine’s blogs. For more information please see the links on the right. Favorite materials: brushed silk, alpaca, and cashmere.