The Moth Cardigan Collection
The Moth Cardigan Collection is one of Mochipan's largest and most recognizable original design collections, created by our designer Asia in July of 2024.
The collection began with the idea of transforming the distinctive wings of real moth and butterfly species into wearable garments. Rather than simply printing a wing pattern onto a cardigan, each design was developed so that the cardigan itself becomes the insect: the sleeves act as wings when the wearer's arms are extended, while the colors, markings, shapes, and details of each piece are inspired by its individual species. Asia had a very specific vision for these, and we worked together tirelessly to bring the silhouette and shape to life. Many factories would not take such a unique shape on, so it took us quite a long time to develop the style.
Early On
The Original Collection
Our original Moth Cardigan release included an extensive family of moth- and butterfly-inspired designs:
Death's Head Moth
Brahmin Moth
Giant Peacock Moth
Atlas Moth
Rosy Maple Moth
Magpie Crow Butterfly
Monarch Butterfly
Luna Moth
Spanish Moon Moth
Cinnabar Moth
Mothman
Giant Leopard Moth
Flannel Moth
Pandora Sphinx Moth
Cecropia Moth
Smoky Emperor Moth
Emperor Gum Moth
Each cardigan was individually designed around the real insect that inspired it. We studied the patterns of each moth and butterfly carefully to faithfully recreate it in jacquard knit. With jacquard knit you are only really able to use 6 colors, and any more than that will destabilize the garment, so for some of these cardigans it was incredibly difficult to select colors. We spent WEEKS trying to get all the colors and patterns just right, and we are eternally grateful for our partnered factories at the time who worked hard to figure out the designs.
Despite their differences, the designs were created as one cohesive concept: a collection of cardigans that allows the person wearing them to spread their arms and reveal the wings of a moth or butterfly.
The Monarch Cardigan
Among the collection was the Monarch Cardigan, inspired by the orange, black, and white wings of the monarch butterfly.
The Monarch became one of Mochipan's most recognizable designs and helped introduce many people to the larger Moth Cardigan Collection. Its popularity eventually extended far beyond our original release, but the Monarch was never conceived as a standalone idea—it was part of this much larger collection exploring many different moth and butterfly species through clothing.
That context is an important part of the design's history.
The Death's Head, Atlas, Rosy Maple, Luna, Spanish Moon, Cecropia, Monarch, and the many other designs released alongside it show the broader creative concept behind the collection: taking individual species and interpreting their unique wings as wearable cardigan silhouettes.
An Original Mochipan Collection
The Moth Cardigan Collection was developed as an original Mochipan project and remains an important part of our design history.
As Mochipan has grown, some of these designs have become much more widely recognized than we ever anticipated. Because images and ideas can travel incredibly quickly online, the history behind a design can sometimes become separated from the finished garment.
That is one reason we created the Mochipan Design Archive.
We want there to be a permanent record of the work we've created, the collections those designs originally belonged to, and the ideas that connected them.
Whenever possible, this archive will also preserve original artwork, early samples, photographs, development materials, and release information so that the history of our designs remains accessible as Mochipan continues to grow.
