Maria Laura Wandavi is a Swedish born knitwear designer who spent most of her childhood in Italy. The influence of Italian elegance that surrounded her as a child is apparent in her work. She came to London in 1999 and completed a degree in Fashion Design with Knitwear at Central Saint Martin’s last year. This provided an excellent grounding and technical expertise which she uses in her complex designs. Maria has worked for Alexander McQueen where she assisted with the menswear design team in the run up to the Spring/Summer 2007 Menswear show. Other placements included working with the knitwear designers Alex Gore Browne and Rebecca Cella. She has created her own knitwear technique of 3D lacing work combined with hand weaving and this has inspired her current collection. In particular, the shapes of natural elements, such as leaves and insect shapes, are found in her work. She seeks to create a new dimension to eveningwear design, elegance and volume that is ethically sourced. She uses natural fibres to create light fabrics and aims for symmetry and fluidity in her designs. On show is a stunning collection of unique knitted evening wear. These are beautiful, elegant designs with a modern avant-garde twist.