If you really want in on the crochet trend, you’ve got to make it yourself

In June this year, Simon Porte Jacquemus presented his spring/summer 2026 collection titled ‘Paysan’, an ode to the agricultural communities of Provence. Amidst the sea of crisp white poplin and broderie anglaise full skirts came an ivory crochet dress with a matching crochet bag—a look that has since been living rent-free in my head. A few months ago, famed Polish designer Magda Butrym dropped her collaboration with H&M; chintzy floral dresses aside, a highly coveted item from the collection was a crochet headscarf that sold out within seconds.

For the last few summers we’ve been deep in the throes of a crochet renaissance, one that’s ditched any associations with blankets and hippie style in favour of Gen Z-friendly bucket hats, bikini bottoms, and bag charms.

But while designer brands and high-street stores are offering plenty of options if you want to quickly jump on the trend, Instagram is filled with creators who are taking the time to craft all things cute, colourful, and infinitely wearable. Just look at big-time crochet stars like Olympic swimmer Tom Daley, or, closer to home, Kunal Chourasia (@crochet_by_kunal), who are champions of the saying that, ultimately, the best crochet piece is the one you make yourself.

Even in Lena Dunham’s much talked-about Netflix show Too Much, Wendy Jones (played by Emily Ratajkowski), the Miu Miu-wielding target of protagonist Jessica’s Insta stalking, is a knitwear influencer who wears tiny shrugs and shrunken kaftans she put together herself.

Gee thanks, I made it

“Crochet is definitely sexy; it’s not just a grandma thing anymore,” says 24-year-old Aarzoo Thapa. The model and Ashtanga yoga teacher calls herself a ‘yarn hoarder’ whose obsession began when her parents returned from a trip to Dehradun, several balls of yarn in tow. With free time on her hands following graduation, Thapa decided to pick up the hook. Her design process has been intuitive, and what was once a pastime has led to an array of unique designs, from conceptual one-offs like knitted balaclavas with horns to miniskirts, tie-up tops, and summer-friendly crochet shirts that are up for commission.

“The first piece I made was a small bag with a crochet flower. It was full of imperfections, but I cherish it. Since then, I’ve made a dress that took me over a month, which involved patching together individual doilies, which meant I had to keep on trying it on to see their placement. It was exhausting but worth it. That dress is not just clothing for me; it’s also a work of art,” she shares.

For Thapa, the merits in owning a hand-made product resonate on many levels. “We are constantly pushed to consume, to buy more, move fast, and treat everything as disposable. I’ve discovered more meaning and satisfaction in creating rather than consuming. My primary audience is women in their twenties; they feel drawn to my designs because often it’s something that is made only for them. It’s not mass-produced or trendy. It’s about owning something that no one else has.”

A few miles away in sunny North Goa, model Lily Marina Baria started learning to crochet and knit virtually, over video calls with her grandmother, who lives in Hackney. Besides the traditional hook and yarn, Baria uses a flat-bed knitting machine to craft pieces that are sold through her own Instagram account. Working with hand-dyed bamboo yarn, she makes form-skimming maxi dresses and tiny bikini tops. Her body-hugging, ombre pieces have even found a fan in content creator and actor Kusha Kapila. “Living in Goa has a huge influence on my designs. There’s a natural resort wear vibe to everything I make, with a slightly mermaid-y, bohemian flair that reflects the tropical, laid-back energy here. The pieces sell for around ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 and are ideal to take on holiday,” she shares.

Yarn therapy

Aesthetic merits aside, the very act of crocheting is time- and labour-intensive, and for Thapa it induces a flow state that’s akin to her yoga practice, allowing her to slow down and ground herself.

For illustrator Pia Alizé Hazarika, crocheting has become a fond ritual between her and her aunts, carried out over cups of tea, sans phones. The Goa-based creative picked up the skill during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Crocheting helps with my anxiety a lot. It enables a certain dexterity that I need because I work with my hands a lot,” she explains. “I like the fact that you have a physical piece at the end of it, because everything’s veering towards digital at the best of times. It also keeps me off my phone in general, which is great because I’d rather be detangling yarn and grumbling over a pattern versus doomscrolling.” Unlike painting or sculpture, crochet’s more quotidian aspect—the colour scheme is brilliant, yes, but see how soft it feels around your neck!—makes it a big draw.

Hazarika now knits baby blankets, scarves, pot holders…all of which become gifts for friends and relatives or anyone who wants to be “wrapped like a burrito”. Her pièce de résistance is a six-foot-long blanket made for her partner that took her almost a year. “My grandmother used to make blankets for all of us, and I still have mine. It’s a keepsake. A reminder of a person. My aunts still make blankets. And when we’re together we just sit on a porch and craft together—three generations just chilling and actively sharing a hobby.”

For many of these creators, there’s an immeasurable joy in making something of your own. And it’s a feeling that can’t be duplicated by simply buying something off the rack. As Thapa adds, “I love to see a ball of yarn transform into something that has personality and texture—it’s meditative. I believe handmade clothing carries energy. It’s more than just fabric.”