Holger Auffenberg

Holger Auffenberg’s earliest memories are of occupying himself with crafting in all kinds of media, and watching his grandmothers and mother knitting, crocheting and embroidering. He made use of these crafts and techniques when he began studying Fashion, first in Germany and then at the Royal College of Art in London.

Holger’s first job in the Fashion industry was with a bespoke London tailor, and he went on to hold positions in a variety of Savile Row tailoring Houses and High Street brands (including Jaeger, Ben Sherman and Hardy Amies). Later, Holger became Head of Design for Chester Barrie on Savile Row.

Holger decided to revisit knitting and became particularly fascinated by the anatomy of the heel section of socks. He began releasing his own patterns on Ravelry, and the popularity of his designs, that played with structure and traditional crafting techniques, was clear. His patterns have been downloaded over 450,000 times and continue to be in high demand.

Holger’s respect for the history of crafting mixed with his design background has created his very own unique approach to knitting and crocheting. He explores the possibilities of twisting, subverting, and reshaping traditional techniques for a modern or unusual effect. A great example of this was his collaboration with designer Bella Freud – Holger made needlepoints of Soho sex services cards.

In 2025, Holger won Channel 4’s Game of Wool. He continues to create crafting tutorials and video content with the show’s presenter, Tom Daley, and is currently working on his first book – a collection of projects that showcases his singular talents as a designer and knitter/crafter.