240 Years of the World's Finest Knitwear

John Smedley is delighted to announce its partnership with British mural artist Melissa White, as it proudly marks its 240th anniversary. Unveiled at London Craft Week 2024, the collaboration is a celebration of legacy and longevity, paying homage to the artisanship, heritage, and hand work that defines the company and its core values. Manifesting as a floor-to-ceiling painting, the artwork respects John Smedley’s past and present — a fitting tribute as it looks towards its future. The mural is a visual storytelling, showcasing over 70 distinct references from John Smedley’s history, from the merino sheep and Sea Island cotton plants it sources its finest fibres from, to the babbling brook that powers the mill, which appears rippled with delicate stitches. Set against a backdrop of the undulating Lea Mills countryside, which is peppered with gentle dry-stone walls, each meaningful illustration is an individual strand that forms part of the wider John Smedley narrative — a pictorial guide that, when woven together, creates a tapestry-like history, much like one of its signature knits. Sweaters and long johns appear, some hanging on a washing line as if drying in the Derbyshire breeze; cherry blossom trees signify John Smedley’s deep trade and craft links with Japan; an archival spinning wheel references its manufacturing prowess, which remains vertically integrated today. Find out more at https://www.johnsmedley.com/uk/discover/john-smedley-240/. Shop the collection at http