Wednesday 6 November 2013

'If you enjoy what you're doing, you don't want to stop."

In April 2013, the CBC reported on the story of Leonard and Mae Fine, who were retiring after running their Toronto-based knit-wear business together for more than 50 years. Marni Knits produced and sold high-end knitwear to retailers across Canada. Their customers included Holt Renfrew, Liptons, Chadwicks, and Goodman's. The Fines, who originally met in New York in 1938 and are now both in their nineties, didn't especially care to retire just yet but were urged to do so by their son as he wished to retire himself. "We're still going to have a life, without the business," said Mae. "I may get a job, volunteering or something."

When they cleared out their shop, the Fines donated an assortment of yarns, notions and buttons to the May 2013 More Than Just a Yardage Sale, with proceeds from the items going to benefit the Toronto-area Textile Museum of Canada.

If you'd like to see some vintage Marni Knits clothing, you can do so on the website for the Toronto-area business Rent frock Repeat, and if you should live in Toronto it's even possible to enjoy renting and wearing Marni Knits creations from Rent frock Repeat. Some Marni Knits creations also seem to be for sale from various vintage clothing internet dealers. The photo above is of one Marni Knits creation from 1970.

2 comments:

  1. Huh. I used to drive by that place a lot, and always wondered what it was.

    Amazing that something so cool was coming out of what appeared to be an absolute dump of a building.

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  2. i thought you might be interested to know I bought their machines.
    check them out at www.annakari.ca

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