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DIY Ottolinger Deconstructed Sweater Knockoff

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I find it amusing that I’ve been aggressively targeted with luxury fashion ads as of late.

Don’t they know I rarely spend more than $1 on any item of clothing?

One such luxury item is this deconstructed sweater by Ottolinger.

ottolinger deconstructed white sweater
It’s strange, but I dig it!

I know the deconstructed/distressed look isn’t for everyone, but I really like this avant-garde sweater! It’s unique, fashion-forward, and really makes a statement.

Unfortunately, it comes with a hefty price tag. :/

Ottolinger sweater listed online for $1000
Wait…Whut?

$975 for one sweater??? What the what?!?! I’ve driven cars that cost less than that!

The old southern adage, Some people got more money than sense appears to apply here.

According to its product listing on the Selfridges website,

Drawing on its native Berlin, Ottolinger’s aesthetic combines elements of the city’s rave scene with impeccable construction and juxtaposing destruction. Take this jumper for example: spun from pure wool, it’s knitted with an intricate cable pattern then deconstructed with raw frayed edges and an asymmetric hem. Take your styling cues from the brand’s runway presentation and slip it on with its strappy trousers and backless mules.

Selfridges Says

You can probably guess where I’m going with this. I mean, I just love refashioning old sweaters!

It’s time for an Ottolinger-inspired deconstructed sweater refashion!

I needed to find a white sweater that was similar to my inspiration piece, which I found hanging on the $1 clearance rack at the thrift store.

DIY Ottolinger Deconstructed Sweater Knockoff before
I think it’ll do nicely!

It even features a similar diamond pattern!

closeup of diamond pattern on sweater
Nice!

There’s nothing technically wrong with this sweater, but it is a little boring for my tastes.

sweater refashion before
I could rock it as-is!
sweater refashion before
But why tho?

My sweater is made of cotton rather than wool, but I still think I can create a refashion that evokes Ottolinger’s aesthetic with elements of the city’s rave scene with impeccable construction and juxtaposing destruction.

Or something…?

closeup of fabric content label
We’re about go upscale, Liz!

I cut off the neck of my sweater right below where the top part was seamed to the rest of the sweater.

cutting off neck of sweater
Snnnnip!

Then, I cut a jagged line on the bottom hem of my sweater.

cutting off bottom of sweater
That was easy!

Now for the fun part…the deconstruction!

I used a combination of my scissors, a seam ripper, a chopstick, and my bare hands to unravel and distress the neckline and bottom hem.

using seam ripper to distress sweater
Ripping horizontally, rather than vertically works better!
using chopstick to unravel sweater
If you want to destroy my sweater…

This took waaaay longer than I thought it would…about 40 minutes.

When I was done, the neckline was made much wider in the process, which served me well for the next step.

I folded the front right fabric of the sweater together to make a flap.

pinning a flap
Just like this.

If you look at my inspiration piece, you can see there’s a deconstructed vertical seam on the right side. That’s what I’m trying to replicate.

I stitched a single seam down the pinned line.

sewing vertical seam on sweater
Whirrrrr!

Then, I sewed a single line along the neck of my sweater to keep it from unraveling/stretching out any more than I wanted it to.

sewing neck of sweater
I’m in control!

I cut open my newly-sewn flap and used the same seam ripper, scissor, chopstick, & bare hands combo to unravel both flappy bits.

using chopstick to unravel sweater
Just push through the holes and pull!

I grabbed my sweater and shook it aggressively to get rid of all those loose threads (so it wouldn’t shed them while I was wearing it).

threads all over floor
Yes, I had to vacuum afterwards.

Look at my Ottolinger Deconstructed Sweater imposter now!

ottolinger inspired sweater
I am pleased.

I felt quite artsy in my new sweater, so I opted for a white beret over a wig.

sweater styled with black leggings and simple black boots.
Styled with black leggings and simple black boots.
DIY Ottolinger Deconstructed Sweater Knockoff after
Pretty spot-on, I say!

I ended up liking this refashion even more than I thought I would! I really like how edgy it looks with my shaved head. 🙂

ottolinger inspired sweater
Thoroughly chuffed to have saved almost $1k!

I wore my new sweater to lunch at Za’s with a friend (who was impressed by my sweater doppleganging skills)!

refashionista with wine
Do I look $1,000 sweater-level rich?
pizza
Spinach & mushrooms…my favorite toppings!

I think my new sweater looks just as cool as the real thing!

Refashionista Ottolinger 2020 Deconstructed Sweater Knockoff
Which would you choose?

And to think it started off as a humble $1 thrift store sweater!

Cheers!

refashionista DIY Ottolinger Deconstructed Sweater Knockoff before and after
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