Not Knitted by Grams

Not Knitted by Grams

Not Knitted by Grams is a conceptual knitwear fashion editorial photographed in New York City by fashion photographer Ken Jones in collaboration with Zoe Champion Knitwear.

The project grew from a creative connection made after discovering Zoe Champion’s work through Instagram. Her garments immediately stood apart from conventional knitwear through their open construction, layered textures and sculptural silhouettes.

Rather than presenting the clothing as traditional sweaters or dresses, the editorial treats each garment as a three-dimensional form shaped by the body, light and movement.

A designer and photographer collaboration

Collaboration remains one of the most important parts of fashion image-making. A designer brings the garment and its construction to the process, while the photographer develops a visual environment that allows the work to be interpreted in a new way.

For this series, the goal was not simply to document the clothing. The photographs were designed to show how the garments stretch, drape, separate and move around the model.

Zoe Champion’s knitwear includes loosely woven panels, distressed edges, transparent sections and long extensions of yarn. These elements create changing shapes as the model moves, allowing each pose to reveal a different aspect of the same garment.

Sculptural knitwear and movement

The editorial uses extended arms, angular hands, raised feet and dance-inspired positions to activate the clothing.

In the darker looks, open-knit sections create lines that continue beyond the model’s body. Long woven panels trail from the garments and form their own shapes against the floor and background.

The white dress introduces a softer visual direction. Layered mesh, loose fibers and translucent fabric respond differently to the light, producing a more delicate silhouette while preserving the experimental character of the collection.

The poses remain controlled but expressive, balancing the sculptural quality of the clothing with the clarity required in a fashion editorial.

Cool-toned studio lighting

The series was photographed using a large parabolic light source, reflective materials and strong color gels.

Cool violet and blue tones create a distinct atmosphere throughout the images. The directional lighting also produces large cast shadows behind the model, repeating the shape of the body and garments across the studio wall.

Those shadows are not treated as unwanted by-products. They become part of the composition, adding scale and visual movement to the otherwise minimal studio environment.

Reflective surfaces on the floor introduce an additional layer. The model’s legs, clothing and shadows appear again as softened reflections, giving the photographs more depth without requiring a constructed set.

Fashion, beauty and graphic composition

The beauty photographs focus on the relationship between makeup, hairstyle and garment texture. Graphic eye color, sculpted hair and carefully controlled highlights reinforce the futuristic mood of the editorial.

Several composite images divide the series into narrow vertical panels. These layouts allow multiple poses, garments and beauty details to appear together while echoing the elongated lines found in the knitwear.

The resulting story moves between full-length fashion, close beauty portraits and editorial page compositions. Together, the images show how photography, styling, movement and garment construction can work as one visual system.

Conceptual fashion photography in New York

Ken Jones photographs fashion editorials, designer lookbooks, model portfolios and commercial campaigns for designers, publications and creative teams in New York City.

Projects can be developed around a new collection, a specific garment, an experimental lighting idea or a broader editorial concept. The production approach is shaped around the designer’s work rather than forcing every collection into the same visual formula.