KNITTING PRETTY; SWEATERS PULL ON A FORMAL LOOK AT MISSONI GALA.

Byline: Story by Barbara De Witt

Cardigans as long as coats. Turtleneck-topped evening gowns. Pullovers passing as dresses.

In the midst of a major '70s fashion revival, knits are reigning on the runways, even for formal wear.

They played a major role in European fall previews and the recent New York collections. And even in sunny California, local designers such as Max Azria for BCBG and Laundry by Shelli Segal are getting knit-picky.

In Paris, Chanel showed plaid knit trousers with schoolgirl-inspired sweaters and bulky cardigans (could we see a return to super-sized shoulder pads?). In Milan, Prada's cutting-edge Miu Miu collection featured athletic-inspired jersey, zip-front sweaters. And knitwear king Missoni updated its famous stripes and flame-stitch knitwear with space-dyed yarns, sassy sarongs and elegant evening gowns woven with metallic thread and shimmering with translucent sequins.

The youthful new twist on the Missoni family sweater classics is partially credited to Tai and Rosita Missoni's daughter Angela. The baby boomer worked as her mother's assistant for several years, but in 1992 started her own collection for the family empire that gained worldwide recognition for cleverly blended bands of color.

Making a rare American appearance, Angela and her brother Vittorio, president of the company, brought their edgy new fall '97 collection to Los Angeles on Monday. Hosted by Saks Fifth Avenue at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel for the Costume Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the event featured a formal 73-piece runway show and informal modeling by celebrities Tori Spelling, Julie Brown, Quincy Jones, Sheryl Lee, Gina Gershon, Amande de Cadenet, Tracy Lind, Katie Wagner and Sela Ward - all dressed to the max in Missoni.

It was one big sweater soiree.

While the tall, sinewy models worked the runway in multicolored knits in fringed sarongs, gypsy-spirited monkey-fur-trimmed knits, long, sweeping sweater dresses with stiletto-heeled boots and glamorous evening gowns, the audience provided a marked contrast in a multitude of ladylike St. John knit suits accented with fake-flower corsages pinned at the neck and signature buttons down the front.

These were the ultimate ladies-who-lunch, women who wouldn't dream of wearing anything trendy, yet excitedly exclaiming how much funthese new knits were.

``I've never worn Missoni, butt it's so young and fresh-looking that I'm considering buying several pieces,'' said Harriet Rabineau of Brentwood, a Costume Council member who sat with a group of friends checking off favorite items on the program.

``The clothes look comfortable and sexy at the same time, so that appeals to me,'' noted Jennifer Grant, daughter of actors Cary Grant and Dyan Cannon. ``But I also like the way they blend bright colors you'd never think go together and yet they do.''

Basking in the glow of Missoni's reclaim to fame, Angela said she doesn't get all the credit. ``Mom and Dad still work. Mom is not going to retire. I only cleaned up the collection and made it more directional,'' she insisted modestly.

She recalled her parents' early days, noting that they started with stripes only because that's the only kind of machine they owned. The stripes have been copied by many others through the years; even Gottex has a striped knit swimsuit this summer.

This year, Angela hopes to have another signature item, something she calls space-dyed knit T-shirts. Already the flower-child dye process has inspired lower-priced companies, including Blue Plate, Guess?, Diesel and Necessary Objects, to come out with knockoffs. Hot Sox has matching socks to be worn with high-heeled Candie's.

Missoni may have perfect purls, but there are other jewels in the knitwear treasury, including New York's own star, Donna Karan. Karan featured lush knitwear - oversized, molded, draped, wrapped, hand-burnt and color-dipped knits - for fall '97. And she's crazy for cashmere, which she has in whisper-thin knits for night, sprayed with beads.

Ellen Tracy, another New York company known for tailored styles, also is working the night shift with deep golden tones of Lurex metallic threads woven into a shimmery paisley evening gown - just the thing to top off with those new-again chubby fur coats or fox-collared cardigans.

Other fall ideas are Marc Jacobs' casually chic thermal cashmere sweaters paired with thigh-high slit skirts and Andrea Jovine's solid-color, wool doubleknit dress-and-coat ensembles suitable for the office and beyond.

Purls of wisdom

Lillie Langtry started the knitwear fashion trend in the late 1870s with a jersey costume.

The first sweaters were designed for men in the 1860s (women didn't start wearing them for another 40 years).

Women began wearing knit dresses as we know them today in the '20s.

The Italians are famous for creating double-knit fabric in the '50s. The new material helped garments keep their shape.

Hand-knitted mufflers (long scarves) and college sweaters were the rage with the raccoon-coat crowd in the '20s and '30s.

The turtleneck sweater was invented in the 1890s and has remained a fashion staple. This fall, it will be a particularly hot look again.

Knits were first made of silk, then wool. Acrylic yarns were introduced in the '50s.

The cardigan sweater, also called a coat sweater, was named for the seventh Earl of Cardigan and designed to keep him warm under his uniform during the Crimean War in 1854.

Space-age dyes are the latest trend in knits, resulting in a '70s inspired blend of colors. Look for sporty knit tees in space-age dyed yarns to wear with leather or see-through lace skirts.

Back in the '40s, starlets who wore tight sweaters to enhance their profile were referred to as ``sweater girls.''

Sweater sets refer to a short-sleeve, flat knit sweater with a jewel neckline paired with a matching long-sleeve cardigan. The look is a classic, often accented with a single strand of pearls and associated with stars such as Grace Kelly.

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7 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) Tori Spelling in an evening-elegant Missoni gown.

(2--Color) Backstage, model Tanya Avery puts the finishing touches on the new face for fall: straight hair, luminous cheeks, dark lips and nails. Makeup was provided by MAC Cosmetics.

(3--Color) Actress Meg Tilly attended the sweater soiree in head-to-toe Missoni with a knit purse flashing the family's famous flame stitch.

(4--Color) Celebrity models Katie Wagner, left, and Julie Brown share a laugh at the Fashion Council luncheon at the Regent Beverly Wilshire.

(5--Color) Jennifer Grant, center, modeled a Missoni dress for Vittorio and Angela Missoni.

(6--Color) Missoni's new look for fall includes maxi skirts with slinky space-dyed sweaters worn with plenty of hip action and stiletto heels. Fashions courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills.

(7) Suited up for the Missoni knitwear fashion show to benefit the Fashion Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art are Cynthia Richelm of Encino, left, Dede Fenaughty of Westwood and Audree Penton of Bel-Air.

Photos by Tina Gerson

Box: Purls of wisdom (See text)