KRELwear

Known for creating adventurous and conceptually driven collections, Karelle Levy knits her own fabrics, finding inspiration in the inherent beauty and formal aspects of the process. Since its original inception, the Krelwear line has evolved into two separate collections. The  KREL black label couture collection is comprised of hand knit, hand shredded pieces, pulling from the extensive archives of unique yarns that the designer has amassed over the last decade.  Using a wide array of yarns from organic to industrial fibers, Levy has developed garments by reconfiguring what she calls “toobular” fashion, using few or no seams in her knitting technique. The ready-to-wear line consists of uniform colors, minimal construction techniques, eased wear ability and are entirely made-to-order. The items are interchangeable and convertible; a single piece can be worn as a sleeveless top, or a skirt and all of the pieces reflect her independent, no rules ethic, “Living garments, embracing flaws - let it run.”

Karelle Levy(1975) was born in Paris, and raised in Miami by a Swedish mother and Tunisian father.  As a child she was surrounded by arts and crafts, music, dance, and fashion which all play a role in her design.  She studied textile design at Rhode Island School of Design.  This led to the beginning of knitting fabrics as wearable garments and costumes.  As a performance artist, making costumes for her progressive performances cultivated into the first fashion forward pieces of couture and ready to wear lines.  A two-time Style Wars champion recently featured in the New York Times and the cover of Ocean Drive Magazine, Karelle Levy has also been named Best Local Fashion Designer in the Miami New Times in 2005 and showcased as a Gen Art Fresh Faces of Fashion. KRELwear has been featured in The New York Times, Ocean Drive, Women’s Wear Daily, Elle, Playboy en Francais, Harper's Bazaar en Espanol, The Miami Herald, 944 Magazine, Beautiful/Decay and Metro Pop, amongst other fine publications.

KRELwear was launched as an innovative knitwear brand in 2004, at the GenArt Fresh Faces of Fashion, debuting its first collection of one-of-a-kind, hand-knit “deconstructed” dresses and separates made with tubular knitting techniques- all executed in a wide array of yarn and texture combinations. Since its inception, KRELwear has cultivated an astonishingly loyal following, developing its line by combining minimal cuts with unique textiles, creative construction, and a mixture of fibers. Each season, the line is completely reinvented while maintaining sexy, yet sophisticated silhouettes.