Fair Isle goes global - as island tradition unravels

IT WAS once dismissed as the outfit of fishermen and farmers, but thanks to fashion's top designers, the Fair Isle jumper is now the darling of the High Street.

With designers such as Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci sending models down the catwalk in Fair Isle-inspired knits, the high street is following suit with New Look, River Island, Zara, Next and even Primark now selling everything from Fair Isle bags to mini-dresses.

"Everybody can wear Fair Isle and I think its accessibility contributes to its continuous popularity," said New Look design director Barbara Horspool. "It's not a difficult look to get right and can easily be adapted to each person's individual style."

Fair Isle style, which originated in the Shetlands more than 200 years ago, is one that is expected to stay popular throughout the winter season. "It reminds people of a home-made style and it's something a lot of people can wear," said fashion stylist Lindsay Campbell. "It's a chunky knit and a bit of fun. A lot of the high street stores have tried to give the pattern a modern twist, which makes it incredibly appealing."

And, say fashion experts, its homespun look fits perfectly with the current economic climate. "What often happens in fashion is people go back to basics," said Campbell. "During a recession people want clothing that lasts. They don't want high fashion anymore; they want something that will last a couple of winters."

But while Fair Isle-inspired knitwear is now the toast of the fashion world, the future of the Shetland community that created the pattern all of 200 years ago is in jeopardy.

Due to a recent 130,000 funding cut by Shetland Council to Fair Isle knitting classes in schools, along with a decline in the number of knitters in the islands and a lack of brand protection, locals say that home production is in danger of vanishing altogether.

Teresa Fritschi, who runs Thistle and Broom, an e-commerce business selling Fair Isle garments, said: "The women I represent who knit traditional Fair Isle are in their seventies and eighties.

"They are dying out and there is no-one to replace them. The fear now is that it will disappear completely."