deep dive 02: Ani Barrie

another West Coast woman with an eponymous clothing line

(This series should and will have another name eventually, because this is not necessarily a deep dive but more of a shallow skim… a ‘first three pages of Google results’-level exploration… mostly what I’m trying to do is highlight items from a brand or designer I’ve come across during one of my completionist searches on eBay or Poshmark!)

With that being said, Ani Barrie was another eponymous California-based brand that kept surfacing during my eBay searches for cotton sweaters and sweater vests. I’m hoping I will get lucky and end up with some more serendipitous connections and information in the comments here (see

Nancy Friedman

’s comments on the first Deep Dive!) I was struck by the colorblocking and pocket placement—these sweaters look like something I would have owned as a child, completely forgotten about, then seen a family photo and immediately wished I had in my adult size.

It looks like Barrie was originally a Chicago art teacher with a background in textiles who was courted by an Italian manufacturer to hand-weave sweaters in the 1970s, then received an offer from a bank to buy out a failing ski apparel company in Aspen. After several years running that company, she eventually moved to San Diego and restarted as a (very) small business under her own name, knitting sweaters with her mother-in-law to sell on consignment at first then eventually expanding.¹ I can’t figure out when Ani Barrie as a company dissolved, but it looks like she is still alive and well, at least as of 2023 (my source on that is a comment she left on a friend’s public obituary, sorry to all the actual journalists out there lol.)

Here are some of the best Ani Barrie pieces I’ve found online.

Ani Barrie Knit Fine Wool Cowl Neck Crop Sweater, S $36

Ani Barrie Sweater Patchwork Pockets Cotton Pullover Womens Medium $45

Ani Barrie Pockets Sweater Sz S $44 (and a large for $10!)

Ani Barrie Vintage Heart Sweater | LARGE $75

Ani Barrie Multi Color Boxy Sweater Size Small $25

Ani Barrie Sweater - Black / Brown / Grey / Cream - Medium $45

Ani Barrie Pullover Knit Sweater Vest Size M Made in USA Gray with Rolled Collar $40

100% Cotton Vest Ani Barrie Black and Tan Knit Sweater Vest Size L $24

Vintage 90s Ani Barrie Brown Black Cotton Chunky Knit Pullover Sweater M $25

Most of these sweaters have a childlike vibe (almost as if Chico’s had a children’s line), and while not shapeless, seem as though they would drape/hang off of the body due to the weight of the material. I would add some friction with any of the following: a short skirt and tights, baggy light denim, bright colors, nice tailored trousers, chunky boots, a mesh turtleneck… see below for some visual inspiration!

And, as always, if you buy one of the items in the newsletter—send pics!

<3 E

1. Reed, Nancy. "Sweaters for Cold Climes From Sunny San Diego." Los Angeles Times, 8 July 1986.