About James

 

 

I grew up in a small town in Kansas. There were no fine fashion stores - our clothes came mostly from the Sears & Roebuck catalog. But my mother was a lady who was committed to always looking presentable and dressed nicely every day. I enjoyed looking at her magazines and became impressed with the fashions I saw.

At fourteen I got an after-school job and saved money to buy nice clothes for myself. Since then, I have always observed what is considered fashionable and been curious about how people express themselves in what they choose to wear.

About 45 years ago I asked a sister who had a loom if she would make me fabric for a coat. When the fabric arrived, the box also contained an assortment of leftover yarn. I asked my mom if she would knit me a sweater. She replied, "You're smart, knit it yourself."

So I did, using a tiny book titled 'How to Knit' and a cardigan pattern found at a Woolworth's store. Then, taking inspiration from a Fair Isle sweater in my closet, I rewrote the pattern and created my first knitting project. Since then, I have created all the patterns for everything I have knit, which I gladly share with knitters around the world.

I still admire the work of fashion designers and continue to be fascinated by how people use their wardrobes to express their own personal style.

 

 

Here’s my first knitting attempt. I even designed this Fair Isle cardigan and wear it to this day. 

 

While knitting was always my passion, I got sidetracked by a career as an advertising agency art director and design teacher. While working in the ad biz, I helped launch Apple’s Mac computer and created numerous television commercials. Some of those TV ads are in the permanent archives of the Smithsonian Institution. (Couldn’t help tooting my horn a little.)

One day, while I was shopping at a trendy men’s clothing boutique in Paris the storeowner approached. He asked about the beautiful sweater I was wearing. I explained that I had designed it and knitted it myself. The storeowner handed me his business card and said, “When you’re ready to launch your own line, please call me!” I walked out—my head spinning and bathed in the glow of the light bulb going off over my head—and realized, duh, I’m a fashion designer. This epiphany moment became the inspiration I needed to leap out of the ad-world and into the world that had always given me so much pleasure—designing and knitting clothing.

And so, five years later, here I am. The Founder, Proprietor, Fashion Designer and Gofer of my own knitwear company and online website, James Cox Knits.

Since then, I’ve been profiled in the fashion media by the likes of Vogue Knitting. My knitting kits have been included in the SWAG BAG bags of Red-Carpet Celebs for that Big Hollywood Awards show that I’m not allowed to mention by name. And speaking of celebrity, I was endorsed by the lifetime knitter and actor BD Wong. (Ooops, tooting my horn again.) You will also find me teaching at Stitches and Vogue Knitting Live events.

 

— Cheers,

 

A profile of James as a knitwear designer in Vogue Knitting