The History of the Cable Knit Sweater

Our iconic Peace and Love jumpers and cardigans are our twist on a classic cable knit jumper. Find out more about the history of this wardrobe icon, and what inspired Amy’s designs.

The cable knit sweater – often called the Aran sweater or fisherman's sweater – originated in the early 20th century on the Aran Islands off of Ireland’s West Coast. Originally hand-knitted by the wives of Irish fishermen, they were made from untreated, lanolin-rich wool, which was highly water-repellent, while the textured patterns served as insulation against the harsh Atlantic weather conditions and the raised ‘cable’ designs symbolised the fishermen's ropes. 

The cable knit sweater hit the mainstream globally when British-born author, designer and teacher Elizabeth Zimmermann (known for revolutionising modern hand-knitting), designed an Aran-inspired knit that was featured in a 1958 Vogue article. 

From there, its popularity grew, becoming a menswear and womenswear icon championed by stars like Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair, Elvis Presley (in Jailhouse Rock), and the Clancy Brothers.

“At AKYN, my vision has always been to create wardrobe icons with a meaningful twist, from sustainable fabrication to thought-provoking slogans and stories. My debut collection at AKYN was titled ‘Run to the River with Love and Peace will Follow” – inspired by the River Phoenix lyric and designed as a response to the world around us. Love and peace have been cleverly knitted into our iconic cables - a design that appeared to me in a dream.” 

– Amy Powney, founder and creative director, AKYN

Shop our iconic Peace and Love cable knit jumpers and cardigans.