If you’ve got talent, your place of origin doesn’t really matter. No one better portrays this than Ringo Yu, born in Taipei, Taiwan, an island country in East Asia. Her claim to fame is her vibrant unisex crew socks that are creating a storm on the internet and getting rave reviews.
What’s unique about Ringo’s socks are her signature colors and patterns. In fact, her famous stylish blue and orange pattern started as a hand-drawn sketch, inspired by Japanese gardens. She shares on blog.etsy.com about her work, “I start every Yu Square socks series by setting a theme. It’s usually something that inspires me – places I’ve visited, landscapes I’ve seen and, of course, everyday things. I look through photos I’ve taken and turn them into sketches…. The best thing about my socks is that they’re suitable for anyone….”
This Taiwanese knitwear specialist got introduced to knitting when she was completing her education in Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London, UK, specializing in textile design. From then on, knitting became her passion. Her stint in high-fashion designing after graduation wasn’t to her liking. It was at this juncture she decided to be on her own.
It wasn’t surprising when Ringo took up knitting and established Yu Square in early 2013. With the help of her elder brother’s knitting machine and a hand-operated linker, she started designing clothing and selling on Etsy. However, the expiry of the visa made her return to Taiwan at the end of 2013.
Once back, Ringo started her business afresh, delegating routine work to others to ease her workload and herself focusing on developing new designs. She still makes beanies by her own hand to remain in touch! Ringo’s aim is to create pieces that put a smile on people’s faces and make them happy.
Yu Square: Etsy Store | Instagram
