Merging tradition
with technology in knitwear
The Process
Merging Tradition
with technology
in knitwear
The Process
Introduction
At the intersection of heritage craft and future-facing technology, Yekaterina (Kate) redefines what’s possible in knitwear design.
With 15 years’ experience leading collections for Manhattan’s top fashion houses, Kate blends deep expertise in yarn, stitch, and garment construction with the power of AI-driven visualization and 3D simulation. Kate partners with visionary brands and tech innovators to turn creative ambition into market-ready collections-faster, smarter, and with unmatched clarity.
At the intersection of heritage craft and future-facing technology, Yekaterina (Kate) redefines what’s possible in knitwear design.
With 15 years’ experience leading collections for Manhattan’s top fashion houses, Kate blends deep expertise in yarn, stitch, and garment construction with the power of AI-driven visualization and 3D simulation. Kate partners with visionary brands and tech innovators to turn creative ambition into market-ready collections-faster, smarter, and with unmatched clarity.
Her process fuses hand-knitting mastery, zero-waste techniques, and advanced digital AI tools, delivering photorealistic concepts, virtual try-ons, and trend-driven storytelling that set new industry standards.
Every project is a collaboration, tailored to a brand’s unique needs and audience. Whether you’re seeking to accelerate product development, launch sustainable knitwear, or pioneer new digital experiences, Kate’s hybrid approach ensures your ideas stand out-and succeed-in a crowded market.
Approach
01
Absorb
Every project begins with immersion. Absorbing brand DNA, market signals, and cultural context. Through hands-on research and AI-powered insights, this stage uncovers creative and technical opportunities to shape the direction of the work.
01
Absorb
Every project begins with immersion. Absorbing brand DNA, market signals, and cultural context. Through hands-on research and AI-powered insights, this stage uncovers creative and technical opportunities to shape the direction of the work.
02
Distill
Mood, material, and silhouette are translated into a clear creative framework. Whether through hand sketching or digital modeling, this phase defines the visual language and narrative arc of the collection.
02
Distill
Mood, material, and silhouette are translated into a clear creative framework. Whether through hand sketching or digital modeling, this phase defines the visual language and narrative arc of the collection.
03
Translate
Designs move from concept to garment through close collaboration with development partners. A deep understanding of technical construction and factory processes ensures each piece is both creatively ambitious and production-ready.
03
Translate
Designs move from concept to garment through close collaboration with development partners. A deep understanding of technical construction and factory processes ensures each piece is both creatively ambitious and production-ready.
Services
01
Concept Development & Direction
Creative direction shaped by brand identity, market and cultural insights. Builds seasonal concepts that balance storytelling with commercial clarity, guiding knitwear collections from inception to execution.
02
Knitwear Design & Product Development
Full cycle product design development across sweaters, dresses, and cold weather accessories. Includes sketching, stitch design, Illustrator flats, spec creation, and collaboration across cross-functional teams to ensure production-ready results.
03
AI Visualization & Design Acceleration
Expert use of AI tools to rapidly visualise designs in photorealistic detail, reducing sampling rounds and enhancing communication with cross-functional partners, factories and third party vendors. Speeds up timelines while preserving design intent and precision.
04
Fit Development & Technical Refinement
Provide creative and insightful technical solutions throughout the initial development and the fit process. Ensures garment integrity through precision-focused, innovative, brand-aligned execution.
05
Factory & Yarn Mill Collaboration
Experienced in partnering with domestic and international mills and factories, ensuring seamless translation from design to production. Balances creative vision with technical precision to deliver clarity, efficiency, and standout results.
01
Concept Development & Direction
Creative direction shaped by brand identity, market and cultural insights. Builds seasonal concepts that balance storytelling with commercial clarity, guiding knitwear collections from inception to execution.
02
Knitwear Design & Product Development
Full cycle product design development across sweaters, dresses, and cold weather accessories. Includes sketching, stitch design, Illustrator flats, spec creation, and collaboration across cross-functional teams to ensure production-ready results.
03
AI Visualization & Design Acceleration
Expert use of AI tools to rapidly visualise designs in photorealistic detail, reducing sampling rounds and enhancing communication with cross-functional partners, factories and third party vendors. Speeds up timelines while preserving design intent and precision.
04
Fit Development & Technical Refinement
Provide creative and insightful technical solutions throughout the initial development and the fit process. Ensures garment integrity through precision-focused, innovative, brand-aligned execution.
05
Factory & Yarn Mill Collaboration
Experienced in partnering with domestic and international mills and factories, ensuring seamless translation from design to production. Balances creative vision with technical precision to deliver clarity, efficiency, and standout results.
01
Concept Development & Direction
Creative direction shaped by brand identity, market and cultural insights. Builds seasonal concepts that balance storytelling with commercial clarity, guiding knitwear collections from inception to execution.
02
Knitwear Design & Product Development
Full cycle product design development across sweaters, dresses, and cold weather accessories. Includes sketching, stitch design, Illustrator flats, spec creation, and collaboration across cross-functional teams to ensure production-ready results.
03
AI Visualization & Design Acceleration
Expert use of AI tools to rapidly visualise designs in photorealistic detail, reducing sampling rounds and enhancing communication with cross-functional partners, factories and third party vendors. Speeds up timelines while preserving design intent and precision.
04
Fit Development & Technical Refinement
Provide creative and insightful technical solutions throughout the initial development and the fit process. Ensures garment integrity through precision-focused, innovative, brand-aligned execution.
05
Factory & Yarn Mill Collaboration
Experienced in partnering with domestic and international mills and factories, ensuring seamless translation from design to production. Balances creative vision with technical precision to deliver clarity, efficiency, and standout results.
Clients
Led the design and strategy for men's knitwear across multiple lines at Michael Kors. From runway to retail, crafted refined, forward-thinking pieces that shaped seasonal direction and elevated the brand’s sweater and accessory offering.
Led the design and strategy for men's knitwear across multiple lines at Michael Kors. From runway to retail, crafted refined, forward-thinking pieces that shaped seasonal direction and elevated the brand’s sweater and accessory offering.
Partnered with the Creative Director to push the boundaries of knitwear at R13. Led stitch development, experimental washes, and custom dye processes, delivering collections that captured the brand’s raw, deconstructed aesthetic.
Partnered with the Creative Director to push the boundaries of knitwear at R13. Led stitch development, experimental washes, and custom dye processes, delivering collections that captured the brand’s raw, deconstructed aesthetic.
Drove the full knitwear lifecycle at Express, from concept to final fitting. Set creative and operational direction for seasonal collections, led international development trips, and shaped the brand’s global knitwear strategy.
Drove the full knitwear lifecycle at Express, from concept to final fitting. Set creative and operational direction for seasonal collections, led international development trips, and shaped the brand’s global knitwear strategy.
Collaborated across Proenza’s Runway and Commercial teams to support Spring 2018 knitwear. Balanced creative input with technical coordination, helping streamline execution and uphold the brand’s elevated aesthetic.
Collaborated across Proenza’s Runway and Commercial teams to support Spring 2018 knitwear. Balanced creative input with technical coordination, helping streamline execution and uphold the brand’s elevated aesthetic.
Supported Khaite’s knitwear development through hands-on collaboration with Italian mills and factories. Delivered detailed technical packs and visuals, ensuring every design met the brand’s exacting creative standards.
Supported Khaite’s knitwear development through hands-on collaboration with Italian mills and factories. Delivered detailed technical packs and visuals, ensuring every design met the brand’s exacting creative standards.
Launched new knitwear categories at Tommy Hilfiger, blending stitch innovation with strategic design thinking. Built a library of custom techniques and led development across trend research, tech packs, and sample execution.
Launched new knitwear categories at Tommy Hilfiger, blending stitch innovation with strategic design thinking. Built a library of custom techniques and led development across trend research, tech packs, and sample execution.
Helped bring runway concepts to life at Gabriela Hearst, developing artisanal knitwear that reflected the brand’s luxury, sustainable ethos. Shaped silhouette and material direction across two seasons of high-impact show pieces.
Helped bring runway concepts to life at Gabriela Hearst, developing artisanal knitwear that reflected the brand’s luxury, sustainable ethos. Shaped silhouette and material direction across two seasons of high-impact show pieces.
Explored concept-led knitwear for a special project at Alexander Wang, pushing stitch, yarn, and structure into bold new territory. Translated forward-thinking design into innovative, technically-driven prototypes.
Explored concept-led knitwear for a special project at Alexander Wang, pushing stitch, yarn, and structure into bold new territory. Translated forward-thinking design into innovative, technically-driven prototypes.
Supported Khaite’s knitwear development through hands-on collaboration with Italian mills and factories. Delivered detailed technical packs and visuals, ensuring every design met the brand’s exacting creative standards.
Supported Khaite’s knitwear development through hands-on collaboration with Italian mills and factories. Delivered detailed technical packs and visuals, ensuring every design met the brand’s exacting creative standards.
Launched new knitwear categories at Tommy Hilfiger, blending stitch innovation with strategic design thinking. Built a library of custom techniques and led development across trend research, tech packs, and sample execution.
Launched new knitwear categories at Tommy Hilfiger, blending stitch innovation with strategic design thinking. Built a library of custom techniques and led development across trend research, tech packs, and sample execution.
Helped bring runway concepts to life at Gabriela Hearst, developing artisanal knitwear that reflected the brand’s luxury, sustainable ethos. Shaped silhouette and material direction across two seasons of high-impact show pieces.
Helped bring runway concepts to life at Gabriela Hearst, developing artisanal knitwear that reflected the brand’s luxury, sustainable ethos. Shaped silhouette and material direction across two seasons of high-impact show pieces.
Explored concept-led knitwear for a special project at Alexander Wang, pushing stitch, yarn, and structure into bold new territory. Translated forward-thinking design into innovative, technically-driven prototypes.
Explored concept-led knitwear for a special project at Alexander Wang, pushing stitch, yarn, and structure into bold new territory. Translated forward-thinking design into innovative, technically-driven prototypes.
Led the design and strategy for men's knitwear across multiple lines at Michael Kors. From runway to retail, crafted refined, forward-thinking pieces that shaped seasonal direction and elevated the brand’s sweater and accessory offering.
Led the design and strategy for men's knitwear across multiple lines at Michael Kors. From runway to retail, crafted refined, forward-thinking pieces that shaped seasonal direction and elevated the brand’s sweater and accessory offering.
Partnered with the Creative Director to push the boundaries of knitwear at R13. Led stitch development, experimental washes, and custom dye processes, delivering collections that captured the brand’s raw, deconstructed aesthetic.
Partnered with the Creative Director to push the boundaries of knitwear at R13. Led stitch development, experimental washes, and custom dye processes, delivering collections that captured the brand’s raw, deconstructed aesthetic.
Drove the full knitwear lifecycle at Express, from concept to final fitting. Set creative and operational direction for seasonal collections, led international development trips, and shaped the brand’s global knitwear strategy.
Drove the full knitwear lifecycle at Express, from concept to final fitting. Set creative and operational direction for seasonal collections, led international development trips, and shaped the brand’s global knitwear strategy.
Collaborated across Proenza’s Runway and Commercial teams to support Spring 2018 knitwear. Balanced creative input with technical coordination, helping streamline execution and uphold the brand’s elevated aesthetic.
Collaborated across Proenza’s Runway and Commercial teams to support Spring 2018 knitwear. Balanced creative input with technical coordination, helping streamline execution and uphold the brand’s elevated aesthetic.
Testimonials
"Kate's work elevated the men’s knitwear category season after season, and her collaborative approach made her an invaluable part of our process. She consistently delivered with precision, originality, and a deep understanding of the brand."
Carly Battams
Director of Knitwear, Michael Kors
"Kate has a rare mix of technical skill and creative fearlessness. Her ability to take a half-formed idea and turn it into something tactile, unexpected, and totally on-brand was exactly what R13 needed. She was an engine in the process."
Chris Leba
Creative Director, R13
"Kate just got it. She understood the brand, the customer, and how to bring something fresh to a category that's often overlooked. Her taste level, technical precision, and ability to deliver under pressure made her an invaluable part of the Le Ore knitwear launch."
Vanessa Mullins
Director of Design, DZ
“Kate has that ability to balance speed with soul. Her work is sharp, intuitive and always a step ahead. She made a big impact here, not just in what she designed but in how she showed up every day.”
Nicholas Wheatley
SVP Womenswear, Express
"Kate's work elevated the men’s knitwear category season after season, and her collaborative approach made her an invaluable part of our process. She consistently delivered with precision, originality, and a deep understanding of the brand."
Carly Battams
Director of Knitwear, Michael Kors
"Kate has a rare mix of technical skill and creative fearlessness. Her ability to take a half-formed idea and turn it into something tactile, unexpected, and totally on-brand was exactly what R13 needed. She was an engine in the process."
Chris Leba
Creative Director, R13
"Kate just got it. She understood the brand, the customer, and how to bring something fresh to a category that's often overlooked. Her taste level, technical precision, and ability to deliver under pressure made her an invaluable part of the Le Ore knitwear launch."
Vanessa Mullins
Director of Design, DZ
“Kate has that ability to balance speed with soul. Her work is sharp, intuitive and always a step ahead. She made a big impact here, not just in what she designed but in how she showed up every day.”
Nicholas Wheatley
SVP Womenswear, Express
"Kate's work elevated the men’s knitwear category season after season, and her collaborative approach made her an invaluable part of our process. She consistently delivered with precision, originality, and a deep understanding of the brand."
Carly Battams
Director of Knitwear, Michael Kors
"Kate’s creative fearlessness enhanced by her technical knowledge is exactly what R13 needed. She has an incredible ability to take a half-formed idea and turn it into something tactile, unexpected, and totally on-brand. She was an engine in the process."
Chris Leba
Creative Director, R13
"Kate just got it. She understood the brand, the customer, and how to bring something fresh to a category that's often overlooked. Her taste level, technical precision, and ability to deliver under pressure made her an invaluable part of the Le Ore knitwear launch."
Vanessa Muillins
Director of Design, DZ
“Kate has that ability to balance speed with soul. Her work is sharp, intuitive and always a step ahead. She made a big impact here, not just in what she designed but in how she showed up every day.”
Nicholas Wheatley
SVP Womenswear, Express
"Kate's work elevated the men’s knitwear category season after season, and her collaborative approach made her an invaluable part of our process. She consistently delivered with precision, originality, and a deep understanding of the brand."
Carly Battams
Director of Knitwear, Michael Kors
"Kate’s creative fearlessness enhanced by her technical knowledge is exactly what R13 needed. She has an incredible ability to take a half-formed idea and turn it into something tactile, unexpected, and totally on-brand. She was an engine in the process."
Chris Leba
Creative Director, R13
"Kate just got it. She understood the brand, the customer, and how to bring something fresh to a category that's often overlooked. Her taste level, technical precision, and ability to deliver under pressure made her an invaluable part of the Le Ore knitwear launch."
Vanessa Muillins
Director of Design, DZ
“Kate has that ability to balance speed with soul. Her work is sharp, intuitive and always a step ahead. She made a big impact here, not just in what she designed but in how she showed up every day.”
Nicholas Wheatley
SVP Womenswear, Express
"Kate's work elevated the men’s knitwear category season after season, and her collaborative approach made her an invaluable part of our process. She consistently delivered with precision, originality, and a deep understanding of the brand."
Carly Battams
Director of Knitwear, Michael Kors
"Kate’s creative fearlessness enhanced by her technical knowledge is exactly what R13 needed. She has an incredible ability to take a half-formed idea and turn it into something tactile, unexpected, and totally on-brand. She was an engine in the process."
Chris Leba
Creative Director, R13
"Kate just got it. She understood the brand, the customer, and how to bring something fresh to a category that's often overlooked. Her taste level, technical precision, and ability to deliver under pressure made her an invaluable part of the Le Ore knitwear launch."
Vanessa Muillins
Director of Design, DZ
“Kate has that ability to balance speed with soul. Her work is sharp, intuitive and always a step ahead. She made a big impact here, not just in what she designed but in how she showed up every day.”
Nicholas Wheatley
SVP Womenswear, Express
"Kate's work elevated the men’s knitwear category season after season, and her collaborative approach made her an invaluable part of our process. She consistently delivered with precision, originality, and a deep understanding of the brand."
Carly Battams
Director of Knitwear, Michael Kors
"Kate’s creative fearlessness enhanced by her technical knowledge is exactly what R13 needed. She has an incredible ability to take a half-formed idea and turn it into something tactile, unexpected, and totally on-brand. She was an engine in the process."
Chris Leba
Creative Director, R13
"Kate just got it. She understood the brand, the customer, and how to bring something fresh to a category that's often overlooked. Her taste level, technical precision, and ability to deliver under pressure made her an invaluable part of the Le Ore knitwear launch."
Vanessa Muillins
Director of Design, DZ
“Kate has that ability to balance speed with soul. Her work is sharp, intuitive and always a step ahead. She made a big impact here, not just in what she designed but in how she showed up every day.”
Nicholas Wheatley
SVP Womenswear, Express
Contact
Let’s start a conversation
Talk through your vision, goals, or upcoming collection
Sitemap
© YB 2025
Contact
Let’s start a conversation
Talk through your vision, goals, or upcoming collection
Sitemap
© YB 2025
Contact
Let’s start a conversation
Talk through your vision, goals, or upcoming collection
Sitemap
© YB 2025