I'm generally not a fan of trompe l'oeil as a style of print on items of clothing. Basically it calls to mind those most tacky of aprons where the big beer-gutted burger flipper is supposed to be mistaken for a slim bikinied woman one-third of his size. However, when the use of trompe l'oeil is actually handcrafted art that showcases something you do want to stare at and don't want barbeque sauce to promptly be spilled on, that is another matter altogether. Such is the case of Adel Kovac's diploma project, entitled 'Knitprint' (and yes, this is the very same Adel of LoveCarpet). Here Adel has not only created a collection of lovely handknit pieces, but also more ready-to-wear type garments that each have a photo of one of the knit pieces printed onto them. While I've seen something similar to this done before, Adel's decision to incorporate not just 2D photos of the pieces but 3D-ish lookbook photos (i.e. with a model wearing the garment) makes the effect quite charming. In fact, I think I'd prefer to have one of those printed pieces. Just think of all the fun one could have with layering and colour-blocking (assuming you don't have a pair of canary-yellow leggings in your drawer). Sure, you'll look like you have four arms when wearing it, but at least you'll have an extra set of hands to help keep your dress from flying up in the wind.
(Photos via NJAL)
