Founded by Meryll Rogge and Sarah Allsopp, B.B. Wallace marries traditional craftsmanship with striking design to create the sort of knitwear to be treasured for years
In between helming her eponymous brand and gearing up for her debut as Marni creative director, Belgian designer Meryll Rogge is launching a knitwear brand. Co-founded with British knitwear aficionado Sarah Allsop (she has been behind knits for Tory Burch, St. John and Marc Jacobs), B.B. Wallace crafts the sort of pieces meant to be treasured for years. In fact, they're the sort of pieces one might pass on to future generations. It’s only fitting that the brand is named for Rogge’s sons. The brand makes its buzzy debut this Wednesday, at a breakfast event during Amsterdam Fashion Week.
Photo: Luna Conte
Photo: Luna Conte
“We wanted to create a heritage knitwear line that is both classic and versatile and design forever pieces that would last over a lifetime,” say Rogge and Allsop. Having met years ago whilst working for Marc Jacobs (Rogge worked in ready-to-wear, Allsop in knitwear), the duo share a “creative foundation”. “Our references and sensibilities naturally align,” says Rogge. After both women left Marc Jacobs in 2020, they began collaborating “on and off” on the knitwear for Meryll Rogge, but always felt the knitwear didn’t receive “the attention it deserved”. “For each collection people would gravitate towards the louder pieces,” says Rogge. “We really felt the need to develop a line of timeless knitwear that doesn’t chase seasonal trends but instead transcends time.” And so, B.B. Wallace was born.
Photo: Marie Dehe
Photo: Marie Dehe
When it comes to these timeless pieces, no detail – from the size of the ribs to the shape of the buttons to the decadent yarns – is overlooked. Take, for instance, the double-faced cardigans, which features Scottish Shetland wool on the outside to protect from rain and wind and Italian cashmere on the inside, for an impossibly cosy feel. Elsewhere, delicate cotton pointelle sets, inspired by the onesies worn by Rogge’s children, add a touch of feminine whimsy. For those seeking something a bit louder, there are the faux fur sets, crafted from wool and mohair.
“Overall we aren’t looking to make normal sweaters. That’s not the point,” says Rogge and Allsop. “The point is to make unique items with distinctive shapes, colour palettes, details and materials.” In addition to sweaters, cardigans and those sweet cotton sets, B.B. Wallace will also offer scarves and bandanas as well as the sort of blankets that deserve to sit near a roaring fire.
Photo: Luna Conte
Photo: Luna Conte
The pieces are completed with woven labels, adorned with cursive signatures, and an organic swan logo. “ The swan logo on the woven labels is not only an ode to country living but there’s a certain regalness about the animal,” say Rogge and Allsop, noting that the logo was inspired by a photograph by artist Alec Soth of two towel swans folded on a bed. “Swans are strong and bold, and embody everything we want our key pieces to be.”
For Rogge, B.B. Wallace is undoubtedly a labour of love – a cosy outlet in her full fashion calendar. “It’s liberating to be able to design without a specific thematic frame of mind and seasonal fashion constraints,” she says. “You can just make beautiful knitwear for the sake of wearing and that’s so freeing.”