New York, Paris, Hutton-Le-Hole…
successful designer brings the world of high fashion to rural Yorkshire

Cheryl-ann Taylor is a successful designer whose fashion and knitwear designs are sought by the leading fashion houses, from Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan to Top Shop, Whistles and Marks & Spencer.

During a new collaboration with a rural North Yorkshire museum Cheryl-ann will relocate her design studio, industrial machines and all, to the Ryedale Folk Museum for 2 months, where she will create a collection of silk knitted dresses within the gallery space and reveal trade secrets from the world of high fashion. Dress runs in the gallery space at the Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton-Le-Hole from the 23rd August until the 19th October.

Based in rural North Yorkshire she produces garment samples which are used to inspire the fashion industry worldwide.
Cheryl-ann established Knitwit Design, a swatch garment design consultancy, in September 2003, and specialises in surface and silhouette design.

Cheryl-ann says:
“The sample garments which I produce for the fashion industry are extremely out of proportion often resembling child size which seems odd as the garments are designed for womenswear and often with a couture edge.”

“My current work explores the concept of ‘vintage proportion’, my main focus is to create garments which are beautiful but only fit the forms of old, where possessing an hour glass figure was so important. The scale of the dresses will be of vintage proportion, the dresses will be whole but only the front of the garment will be ‘dressed’ ‘adorned’ – This reflects what I do with my samples as I only make the fronts.”

Dress is funded by Arts Council England and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

Throughout the residency Cheryl-ann will create seven dresses, using elegant dress silhouettes and concentrating on developing a section of each – from cuff, to hemline and fastening. Throughout the residency people will be able to both view her work and  find out more about how the sample fashion industry operates.

The Gallery at the Ryedale Folk Museum has been revitalised by curator, Andy Dalton, whose previous projects include installing the work of Turner prize nominees at the Tate Britain and Tate St Ives Through the residency project, funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, he aims to explore the heritage industries of North Yorkshire and contemporary artists and designers who continue this tradition. He comments:

“Helmsley used to be a hub of the North Yorkshire weaving industry in the 17th century – through Dress I am hoping to explore how traditional industries are thriving within the region today through the work of contemporary artists and makers. Technological advances have enabled Cheryl-ann to relocate her studio from London to rural North Yorkshire. Her knitwear samples are sought by designers worldwide and the show will reveal the excellence of work being developed within the region, and prove that it is possible to have a career in the fashion industry whilst being based in rural Yorkshire”

Running alongside the project will be an Arts Council funded education programme which aims to bring a team of students from York College to work alongside Cheryl-ann in the gallery – giving them the opportunity work alongside someone with fashion industry experience and provide them with the confidence to take the next step in their career.

Cheryl-ann’s inspiration never comes from the same place twice, her passion lies with vintage clothing and textiles, to reflect this she has chosen a fine selection of vintage dresses and trimmings from the Ryedale Folk Museum’s Collection which will be displayed throughout the project.

She says: “I’m always on the hunt for little treasures which will inspire me, rooting through a car boot sale or a vintage fair on a sunny Sunday morning is my idea of bliss. Although my work is made for the modern fashion industry my love for vintage style and elegance makes me think that I have been born in the wrong era!”

Dress is free for people to visit and runs from Saturday 23rd August until Saturday 19th October, the exhibition will be open seven days a week from 10am to 5.30pm. The Ryedale Folk Museum is at Hutton-Le-Hole on the North Yorkshire Moors. More information and directions can be found on www.ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk or by calling tel: 01751 417 367 or emailing gallery@ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk
Further updates on the Gallery programme can be found at www.ryedalefolkmuseum.blogspot.com

Ends
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Additional Notes

Cheryl Taylor – Knitwit Design website http://www.knitwitdesign.co.uk

Brought up in Pickering North Yorkshire, Cheryl-ann Taylor spent four years at York College studying a National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Fashion Design. This led to studying a two year intense Fashion Design Degree specialising in Knitwear Design at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication. She was launched on her career when she won a place to exhibit and sell her knitwear designs at Indigo Premiere Vision, Paris.

“By weaving together beautiful yarn, strong use of colour and the flair to mix charming prints, delightful embroidery and exquisite knit stitches, Knitwit thrives to create a continually evolving collection

Creating innovative silhouettes using knitwear to enhance the female form is where my passion lies. By weaving together beautiful yarn, strong use of colour and the flair to mix charming prints, delightful embroidery and exquisite knit stitches enables me to thrive as a knitwear designer.

Movement in a garment is so important to me, therefore creating garments which flow and hang exquisitely is key to expressing my vision of what the garment should be.

Often my knitted textile ideas evolve through the making process, where I work organically on a mannequin, with the main aim of creating delicate intricate knitwear with detail and depth. Throughout my work I apply the same principles to each garment regarding colour stories. Each piece is inspired by the colour trends for the season allowing me to create my own colour palette which has relevance to the industry where it all began. “
 
Cheryl-ann will be resident at the gallery from 11am – 2pm from Mon-Friday during the period of the show.
 
Her knitting machines include a 12 gauge Dubied industrial knitting machine and a fine gauge domestic machine.
 

Ryedale Folk Museum
Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole offers visitors a unique insight into North Yorkshire's social history through the ages. The story of Ryedale and its people over the past few hundred years is told through re-constructions of historic buildings. Shops, traditional cottages, workshops and even an Elizabethan Manor House which are spread over the site of the Ryedale Folk Museum in the picturesque village of Hutton-le-Hole. For more than forty years the museum has been a registered charity, relying on income from visitors, shop sales and grants to offer people a unique insight into the social history of this beautiful part of North Yorkshire.
This is the second residency supported by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation intended to support and celebrate the work of designer-makers who are engaged in making traditional craft practice relevant to a contemporary audience. The role of the residency is to offer our audiences an insight into the creative process and an opportunity to engage with contemporary craft makers in a rural setting. There is a vibrant arts community in rural North Yorkshire which is dispersed across a large area. The residencies would offer an opportunity to raise the profile of makers in the region and offer professional opportunities to sustain the creative economy. The first resident artist was Rachel Gretton whose outstanding glassware has garnered national attention during the last twelve months
Visitors to the museum can explore almost four acres of fascinating buildings, craftsmen's workshops and recreated village shops.  From the crofter's vegetable patch to the more decorative plantings of a Victorian cottage garden, visitors can get a feel for the horticultural alongside the cultural!
Andy Dalton, curator of the gallery space, has previously worked as a curator at Tate St Ives and Bradford’s Cartwright Hall – he is keen to create a challenging programme for the gallery space.
The Ryedale Folk Museum is situated in the picturesque village of Hutton-le-Hole, near Pickering. It is clearly signposted on the A170.
Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton-Le-Hole, York YO62 6UA Tel: 01751 417 367 email: gallery@ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk