The studio’s knitting table, piled high with the highlight colors for the Fall/Winter 2011 collection: royal blue, turquoise, orange. “Materials are always the starting point for us,” says Daphne, who is perpetually on the hunt for various types of yarn to help inspire new pieces. “Especially when I go to Germany or Peru, I always have my eyes open, looking for new colors and textures.” Only one variety is out of the question: “Chenille. It’s really gross — bad taste, weird, shiny,” she says. “Although I swear I have a feeling that in three years I’m going to make a piece out of it. I feel like I’m getting ready to take on the challenge.”