When people hear 'knitting kit', they often picture something wholesome but perhaps a little… beige. Practical. Safe. At Les Cousines, we had a different vision entirely: what if a knitting kit could be genuinely stylish? What if the finished piece looked like something you'd spot on a well-dressed woman walking through Le Marais on a Sunday morning?
That's the question that led us — Sabine and Violette — to create Les Cousines.
Where the inspiration comes from
Both of us grew up with a deep appreciation for French style: that particular combination of effortlessness and intention, of quality over quantity, of pieces that are worn again and again rather than forgotten in a drawer. The Parisian wardrobe is built on basics that are anything but basic — and knitwear is at its heart.
We wanted to bring that sensibility to the world of making. Our designs are influenced by what we see on the streets of Paris, in the pages of French fashion magazines, and in the quiet elegance of pieces that are simply, beautifully made.
The design process
Every kit begins with a silhouette. We ask: what would we actually want to wear? What's the piece that, when finished, would make someone genuinely proud to put on? From there, we think about construction — how to make the pattern accessible to different skill levels without dumbing down the design. A beginner should be able to make something they love. An experienced maker should find something that challenges and rewards them.
Then comes yarn selection — our favourite part. We work with suppliers whose values align with ours: natural fibres, responsible sourcing, and colours that feel modern and wearable rather than garish. Every yarn in our kits has been touched, knitted up in swatches, washed, and worn before it makes it into a box.
Why we call it slow fashion
The phrase gets used a lot, but for us it's deeply personal. Making something by hand is an act of deceleration in a world that moves very fast. Our motto — 'zen en de kunst van het zelfmaken' (zen and the art of making) — reflects the belief that the process is as valuable as the result. Knitting is yoga for the mind. Crochet is meditation with colour.
When you make a garment yourself, you know every stitch of its history. That's the opposite of fast fashion, and it's exactly what we're building towards, one kit at a time.
Explore our latest designs at les-cousines.be — and follow us for behind-the-scenes from the atelier.
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