Meet the Makers

For 30 years, Knit Illustrated has offered knit development to designers locally and overseas, providing services including swatch development, sample making, and linking on demand.

Its founder, Peter Tam, didn’t mean to end up in fashion. He went to college for economics, earning a degree from Stony Brook University. After graduation, Peter ended up with a job at a sweater import company, where he fell in love with the intricacies of knitting and the deep satisfaction he derived from working on the smallest of details. Wanting to know more about this new passion, Peter enrolled in continuing education from the Fashion Institute of Technology in knitting. Following his graduation, he launched Knit Illustrated. Originally opening its doors in Long Island City, Peter relocated the business to the Garment District as Knit Illustrated grew.

Knit Illustrated primarily works on women’s knitwear, and has worked with labels across the board, from Michael Kors to Prabal Gurung. The company employs both state-of-the-art equipment with a full-range of precise offerings as well as expert craftsmanship with vintage machines.

Despite the uncertainties of the pandemic, Peter feels positive about Knit Illustrated’s future. He and his team pushed the “reset” button during the pandemic, spending time thinking back on all the company’s achievements over the decades to devise a plan for the decades to come. While Peter is keenly aware of the many uncertainties associated with the future of fashion, he is convinced that as long as he focuses on projects that he feels passionate about, business will follow.