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One Thing Done Well: Andersen-Andersen

Our series of brands doing one item especially well continues this month with Andersen-Andersen’s cotton crewneck 

There’s something to be said for a younger brand daring to tap into a legacy without the comfort of a century-long presence to fuel its age-old fire. Call it post-heritage, call it heritage revival, call it whatever you like; it’s tough getting that kind of fire started. Enter Andersen-Andersen: A family-owned, Danish company founded by Cathrine Lundgren-Andersen and Peter Kjær-Andersen. Established in 2009, Andersen-Andersen are more of a nascent flame than a raging inferno in the grand scheme of things, but fire is fire.

Not yet a decade old, Andersen-Andersen have garnered quite the following for producing superlative knitwear pieces that wear their classically Danish, maritime inspirations on their worsted wool sleeves. ‘We believe in doing one thing – and doing it well. So we’ve committed to making the world’s best sailor sweater.’

A true embodiment of the one thing done well ethos, the Andersen-Andersen cotton crewneck is both a masterfully-spun modern classic and a piece of timeless, Danish craftsmanship. High-grade and heavyweight by design, the Andersen-Andersen crewneck is more akin to chainmaille armour than your average worsted wool number. Winter armour of the highest quality.

Everything about the crewneck is measured, restrained and painstakingly considered. It’s a staple piece that points to the slow-burning, it’s-ready-when-it’s-ready ethos that Andersen-Andersen have spend 10 years perfecting. An understated yet much-appreciated design flourish comes in the form of the crewneck’s symmetrical, front-to-back design. So precise is the sweater’s symmetry that it’s literally impossible to wear the thing backwards.

Designed in Denmark, all Andersen-Andersen garments are knitted and linked at a family-run knitting mill in northern Italy. Their signature yarn is made from worsted, extra spun 100% merino wool, all certified mulesing-free and sourced from Uruguay and Patagonia. This is a pretty big deal: Mulesing is a rather unpleasant (but time and cost effective) process that sees the skin of a sheep’s hindquarters cut away, typically without the aid of painkillers, to prevent infection down the line. To opt out of such a process is further testament to Andersen-Andersen’s slower approach to the craft.

Ethics and patience are seldom-seen as bedmates in the current throes of fast fashion, making Andersen-Andersen a welcomed and refreshing addition to the handful of brands doing things their own way. 

Sure, they lack the bragging rights of the age-statements carried by the older, bolder brands on the block, but they’ve proven themselves to be up there with the best of them simply by sticking to their guns. Wise beyond their years, Andersen-Andersen have already become torchbearers for trusting in the slower processes, recognizing the worth of the maker, and generally just revelling in the sheer, joyous craft of it all. EJ

andersen-andersen.com

Words by Will HALBERT
Image Credits: Andersen-Andersen