A Canadian winter style staple is having a major fashion moment: the Cowichan sweater.
To be considered a true Cowichan, a sweater must be hand knit by from high quality, natural (not dyed) wool by members of the Cowichan Tribe, native Canadians who are part of the coastal Salish Nation. The sweater must also feature regional west Canadian motifs like deer, salmon, buffalo, whales or snow flakes. While traditional Cowichan sweaters are still in production in limited quantities, the style has served as inspiration for contemporary design for generations. Indeed, it has a recurring role at Ralph Lauren and Steven Alan, and even took a turn in pop culture, when Jeff Bridges wore a Cowichan-style sweater as The Dude in the cult movie The Big Lebowski.
This year, the Cowichan-style sweater, long a collectible fashion item, has been making even bigger headlines. Celebrities like Megan Fox have sported the cozy look, bloggers have hailed the trend and Canadian brand Granted has added edge to the classic, designing a line of sweaters with modern cuts, bright colors and unexpected graphics like palm trees and camels.
Canada, the host nation of the Olympics, which start this week, chose a Cowichan-style design for its official team unform. But even though Cowichan knitters had bid for the lucrative contract, the work was given to another company. After the Cowichan Tribe threatened a protest at the Olympic torch relay, they were instead given a contract to become suppliers to the Olympics and use the Olympic logo in retail—an opportunity that is not being offered to the company supplying the team sweaters and one that could bring major economic benefits to the tribe. The good news is that authentic Cowichan sweaters will now be available to stylish-seeking shoppers and souvenir collectors at the Vancouver Games.
Even if you'll be watching the Olympics from home, get into the spirit with Cowichan and Cowichan-style sweaters like the ones we found on eBay.
1. Cowichan Sweater Size Small Child Size (buy it now price, $218.) A quality collectible featuring leaping whales.
2. Vintage Cowichan Indian Wool Sweater (buy it now price, $75.99) Two griffins face off and a thunderbird stands guard in the rear.
3. Vintage Mary Maxim Shawl Collar Antique Car Wool Sweater (buy it now price, $49.99) Canadian yarn and crafts company Mary Maxim spawned a huge craze in the 1950s and is still going strong. There is a pattern for whatever interests you—even Model T’s!
4. Handknit Vintage Wool Cowichan Sweater (buy it now price, $60) Understated Charlie Brown cool for the faint of heart.
5. Children's Canadian Cowichan Vintage Sweater (buy it now price, $25.99) This sweet zip front cardigan with has a tasteful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lovingly woven into the back.
6. Vintage "Big Lebowski" Cowichan Sweater (buy it now price, $169.99) Although the author says Canadian geese are on this sweater, I have to say they look a lot like loons to me! Nevertheless, I love the lake blue.
7. Vintage “Big Lebowski” Cowichan Cardigan (buy it now price, $175) Seventies styling makes this cardigan an indie hipster’s dream find.
8. Vintage Cowichan Wool Sweater (buy it now price, $119.99) Cowichan Don’t let this handsome heavy gauge hunting theme sweater be the “one that got away.”
9. Vintage Wool Hand Knit Sweater (buy it now price, $175.) A nifty Fifties whimsical bowling motif make this homemade sweater a keeper.
10. Cowichan Hand Knit Wool Scarf (buy it now price, $27.99) When a boxy vintage shape is too much sweater, a merino scarf in the traditional palette will do the trick.
A freeelance editor who recently relocated to Tucson from New York, Jen Smith was the Fashion Director at Cookie. Before that, she was the Senior Fashion Editor at Lucky.
