KRELwear is a Miami-based sustainable knitwear brand founded in 2002 by fashion designer and textile artist Karelle Levy. Known for its innovative approach to knitwear, KRELwear specializes in handmade, one-of-a-kind garments that often feature unique textures, vibrant colors, and unconventional silhouettes. The brand’s philosophy is rooted in eco-friendly, zero-waste practices, with each piece designed and knit on Shima Seiki industrial machines and hand-finished in-house at their Miami atelier. KRELwear embraces inclusive sizing through its signature “TOOBULAR” construction, allowing for form-fitting designs that accommodate a wide range of body types. The garments are crafted using materials like cotton, bamboo, Tencel, Lurex, rayon, and polyester blends, with some even featuring glow-in-the-dark elements.
KRELwear’s flagship store and atelier opened in 2016 at Miami Ironside, a retail and design center, showcasing the brand's commitment to sustainable fashion. The space is equipped with advanced knitting machines and features a vibrant wall art installation made of colorful yarns.
KRELwear has garnered a loyal following for its distinctive knitwear, ranging from red carpet looks to eco-friendly designs inspired by natural landscapes. The brand’s pieces are available at retailers throughout the US and the Caribbean and have been worn by celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Alanis Morissette, Elena Rose, and Wisin dancers at the Latin Grammy Awards.
KRELwear has received numerous accolades, including being named Best Local Fashion Designer by the Miami New Times multiple times and winning the Style Wars National Championship in 2008. The brand has been featured in prominent publications like The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily, and Lucky Magazine.
Maggie, the Shima Seiki knitting machine, joined the KREL team in 2017, enabling the brand to produce custom orders with greater efficiency and precision, further solidifying KRELwear's position as a leader in sustainable and innovative knitwear.
Meet the KREL Team
Karelle Levy - Founder Paris-born Karelle Levy was raised in Miami by a Swedish mother and French-Tunisian father. She spent her childhood surrounded by arts and crafts, music, dance and fashion, which all play a role in her designs. Levy lost her fiber artist mother when she was 16 years old. This event led her to start her studies in textiles at University of Miami continuing education Weaving class. She then went on to study textile design at Rhode Island School of Design, where she knit and wove fabrics for garments and costumes worn during her art performances. The costumes became the impetus for KRELwear, a fashion-forward collection of couture and ready to wear.
As Levy’s textiles evolved, her art grew more intricate and developed into large-scale, site-specific installations and two-dimensional works. Playing with a vast array of yarns and colors to create her signature fabrics, she knits shimmering, glow-in-the-dark rainbows and patchwork landscapes inspired by aerial views during frequent air travel.
Maggie - Knitting Machine
Born in Japan, our Shima Seiki industrial knitting machine, traveled a long way to join the KREL team in 2017. KREL has never been the same. She makes our knit dreams come true. We can now make custom orders with ease and speed!
Bring us your ideas and Karelle & Maggie will surely make some magic!
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