Line Knitwear is hit product in Hollywood
Here’s a closer look at Line Knitwear, the successful Toronto-based collection started 14 years ago by longtime friends John Muscat and Jennifer Wells. Muscat and Wells discussed their business and their brand with Postmedia recently. Q: What is Line Knitwear? A: Line Knitwear is a contemporary fashion label sold in more than 600 boutiques and department stores that specializes in novelty knits, outerwear and dresses, employing a chic and sophisticated esthetic using the finest materials. Line also has a devout Hollywood following, including Sandra Bullock, Oprah, Dakota Fanning, Amy Adams, Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson. Q: How did Line begin? A: Line began in 2000 after years of us working in the fashion industry in both sales and design. With our years of combined experience at various companies, we wanted to create something that addressed the needs of the growing contemporary demographic, but still catered to a wide audience.
We debuted the first collection in Fall 2000 to top Toronto retailers and soon added showrooms in Vancouver and Montreal, followed by New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. We have 11 showrooms in four countries. Q: How would you describe the esthetic of your designs? A: Definitely timeless and sophisticated, but with a streak of a downtown edge. Q: Your line goes beyond just knitwear with tank tops, skirts and more. How and why has it become so expansive? A: We have such a loyal customer base that has supported us for almost 15 years, such great success at retail, and our clients have also bought into our new categories and believed in them. You need to keep evolving to keep the public interested and keep the brand moving forward. We are so grateful to keep doing what we love and to have the brand loyalty behind us. Q: Who do you design for? Who is your target client? A: Our target client is a modern female; age can range from 25 to 40. Q: Where did the name of your brand come from? A: It happened quite easily after a long road (of decisions). We were getting frustrated trying to figure out what the name should be so, we called a fashion editor friend and she said, “Why don’t you just name it Line?” And that was it. Q: What is new for the upcoming season? A: Our Fall 2014 collection, which is available in stores as early as July, is really focused on the mixing of textures and materials. Leather, knit, stitch patterns and prints all have a place in each of our deliveries, allowing for them to be easily worked back into one’s wardrobe. Q: Do you make your products yourself, and if not, where are they manufactured? A: All of our garments are made either in our studio in Toronto, or in Asia. We also do some special run manufacturing in South America. It all depends on the yarns or fabrics we are using.
China has become such a sourcing and manufacturing powerhouse that it no longer has a negative connotation as it did, let’s say, 20 years ago. Q: What inspires your collections? A: The collection inspirations come from a variety of sources, but generally are from a story we create for our “girl,” and an experience she is going through and what she is going to need to go through it. Q: What is your price point? A: Our price point ranges from $149 for novelty sweaters in blend yarns (to) $300 for luxe cashmere, along with $395 to $695 for outerwear and leather.