Adora

There are only a few key pieces every girl needs to survive a Vancouver winter –a fabulous coat, a great pair of boots and a beautiful and utterly unique scarf. Ladies, meet Larry. These oversized scarves are handmade by Terri Potratz, who started her line in 2007 and already has a devoted fan following. Fashionable, cozy and versatile - the perfect combination to keep you warm all winter long and well into spring.

What inspired you to launch Larry?
Last winter, I decided I wanted an extremely long scarf. When I couldn’t find one in any of the local shops, I decided I would have to learn to knit and make one myself! Once that first scarf was finished - measuring about 1.5 ft wide x 12 ft long - I had so many people stopping me on the street and asking me about it, that starting a company seemed the next logical step.

Why the name Larry?
When I lived in Victoria, I worked in a restaurant called The Mint and became really good friends with the girls who worked there - Laura, Kerrie and Kate. People often confused us, especially Laura and I as we had similar hair and height. One day the manager suggested everyone call us all Larry. That was the running joke for about a week, but the nickname only stuck with me for some reason. The Mint even added a martini to the menu called “The Larry.”

Can you explain your design process?
It’s really trial and error, especially because I only learned to knit just over a year ago, so it takes some work to translate my ideas into a finished product. Basically I will come up with design ideas by early spring, and spend the following months creating and perfecting the patterns. Then by late summer, it’s time to start knitting!

What were your inspirations for your most recent collection?
I really think the yarn itself inspires me. Because I use BC alpaca fibre, which is spun up at a co-op mill on Salt Spring Island, each batch of yarn really takes on a different personality and has really unique properties. This means I may have to slightly adjust the pattern for a certain piece depending on the weight, or that some batches of yarn are more suited for a particular design. From a design perspective, I want my pieces to convey the natural beauty of BC - none of the yarn is dyed, and it’s all naturally processed. I wear them everywhere from camping to swanky fashion shows, and I hope other people also find them to be this versatile.

What from the collection are you most excited about?
The Mable and Adora scarves are my favourites, if only for their sheer size. You can get lost in these pieces, I think they’re just striking. Day to day, though, I wear my Amity scarf most often.

How much does BC factor into your inspirations and design process?
Wherever possible, I collaborate with other local companies. Ken Diamond, a local leather smith, makes leather buttons out of his off-cuts for me, and I use the Green Printers for all my business card and catalogue needs. It’s really important to me to support other local business and artisans in any way that I can, and this factors into all aspects of my business.

Larry are available at One of a Few (354 Water Street, Vancouver) or can be purchased directly from the website wearelarrry.com.

Aliyah Shamsher, The Style Spy
aliyah@thestylespy.com



Mable

Amity

| print this page | 1 Comment | bookmark