Knitting has certain connotations — grandmas, aunties, potholders, baby booties. But one look at the sweaters and cardigans from Berlin-based knitwear label Maiami, and any preconceived notions promptly fly out the window. A Maiami piece is knitwear on acid — all eye-popping colors, full-on patterns, modern-day silhouettes, and amped-up textures. There are electric blue cardigans in cropped lengths with oversized bishop sleeves. Extra-large pull-overs in neon pink with high necks and large honeycomb patterns. Boxy sweaters striped in wide gradients that skip from tan to sky blue to citron to magenta. Each one is hand-made; each comes in luxe yarns like mohair, wool, cashmere, and alpaca.

In other words, these are not your average sweaters. And that’s exactly the point. As Maiami founder and head designer, Maike Dietrich puts it:

Dietrich’s keen eye for unexpected shapes and palettes began back when she was a fashion stylist. During downtime on-set, she’d pick up her knitting needles, practicing techniques handed down from her grandmother. She’d freestyle to create her own interpretations, often using wild colors, innovative patterns, and outsized textures. “Some of my editor friends loved the pieces and put them in their editorials,” she says of the results.

But as the pieces Dietrich knitted on-set became more inventive, they also became more in-demand. Then, one of her editor friends had a stroke of genius: why not show some of her work to Japanese retail buyers? After all, they’re often the first to obsess over artisanal techniques expressed through a modern lens. Dietrich took a chance, and the rest — as they say — is history.

This was nearly 20 years ago, and now Dietrich’s brand Maiami — a mash-up of her first name plus the name of the beachy Florida city (she loves the dichotomy of knits and the tropical destination) — is now a globally adored knitwear brand with a cult-following of sophisticated, creative women who prefer not to dress like everyone else.

But beyond the brand’s eye-catching aesthetic — and despite the fact that the pieces can be found on four continents in cities from Osaka to Omaha — there remains an intimate, independent spirit to the brand. Most of that comes down to Dietrich’s dedication to infusing an ethos of empowerment, sustainability, longevity, and responsibility into everything she does. “Each piece is hand-manufactured by one person, from the first loop to the finished product, the opposite of mass production,” she explains.

Those craftspeople are often women, many of whom live across Europe in rural areas where opportunities are rare. “Knitting is sometimes one of the few skills they have, and the only skill they can make their own money with,” Dietrich explains. “To me, empowerment means supporting someone so they can change their own situation for the better, long term.” The supply chain Maiami utilizes follows those same lines in terms of environmental responsibility as well. Creating by hand means no machines are needed, so there are fewer CO2 emissions. Most of the production happens in Europe and pieces are only shipped in bulk when they are complete, which reduces transport.

In other words, it’s not just about tapping into tradition and applying a fresh, thoughtful approach — it’s about creating balance with long-term pieces that use responsible practices. Because while Dietrich finds inspiration in everything from movies to nature to styles she sees on the streets on her travels, she believes in purpose and longevity; sustainable thinking in the original sense of the term, before it became a buzzword.

To that end, Dietrich remains close to her origin story of celebrating and honoring the craft. Some of her favorite moments are often “when I’m at home, sitting on the floor, playing with different yarns, tossing around cones and balls of mohair, cashmere or alpaca,” she says. It’s a way to remain connected to the process and the product; to the mission and purpose of the brand. It’s also a way to remain inspired, and to remember that individuality and creativity can never fail to make an impact. “Pick what you buy wisely and wear everything you have for as long as possible,” she says.
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