Sandy Black

Having studied mathematics at University College London, Black began designing knitwear and knitted artefacts for theatre, television, interiors and fashion. This developed into an international knitwear business (Original Knitting), selling seasonal fashion collections to major stores in USA, UK, Japan, Australia and Europe. This was complemented by a range of Sandy Black knitting patterns and yarns, sold as do-it-yourself knitting kits, which were also distributed internationally and published widely in the press. She then entered academia, lecturing in knitwear and textiles for fashion at the University of Brighton, and joining London College of Fashion in 1998 to develop and co-ordinate the postgraduate provision across several fashion-related disciplines. Black researches, writes and lectures on textiles, fashion and knitted textiles in a range of contexts including fashion, artworks, and applied design. Public lectures have recently been given at The V&A Museum, Museum of London, Royal Institution, Crafts Council and University of Wisconsin. She curated a touring exhibtion The New Knitting to showcase design and artworks using the knitted medium , and is the author of several books, including Knitwear in Fashion and Fashioning Fabrics.

Interests include knitwear, fashion and textiles design with particular emphasis on 3 dimensional aspects of design and realisation, incorporating mathematical principles. Interdisciplinary design, arts, sciences and technological interconnections. The merging of old and new technologies with craft and design. Current Research Drawing on my background in both knitwear design and mathematics, I am involved in personal research which is exploring new forms in the realisation of knitwear, using advanced technologies and based on mathematical concepts of topology. Co-ordinator of the Fashion Science research hub at London College of Fashion which brings together science, fashion and textiles researchers to develop innovative concepts for future fashion products.