Alright, let’s talk about this Kentucky OVO collection thing I was messing with. It’s been a ride, lemme tell ya.
So, first things first, I stumbled upon this online, right? Looked kinda cool, that OVO owl logo slapped on some Kentucky gear. I thought, “Why not? Let’s see what this is all about.” Plus, I’m always down for a little side project to keep things interesting.
The Hunt Begins
Started by hitting up the usual spots – eBay, StockX, even just googling around. Finding legit stuff was tricky. There’s a lotta fake merch out there, especially when it comes to limited edition drops like this. Spent a good chunk of time just verifying authenticity. Looked at tags, stitching, the works. You gotta be careful out there!
Deconstructing the Design
Once I got my hands on a piece (a t-shirt, to be exact), I really started digging in. I wanted to understand what made this collection tick. I looked at the placement of the OVO logo, the color schemes they used, how it all meshed with the Kentucky Wildcats branding. It wasn’t just slapping a logo on something; there was a definite design language at play. I was reverse engineering it to see if I could learn anything I could use later on.
DIY Time: My Own Twist
Okay, so this is where it got fun. I figured, “Why not try making my own version?” I didn’t wanna straight-up copy anything, but I was inspired by the overall vibe. So I grabbed a plain Kentucky hoodie I already had and started experimenting. I messed around with different placements for an owl graphic I found (not the OVO one, gotta stay legal!), played with some vinyl cutting, and tried different color combos.
The Stencil Struggle
Lemme tell you, getting a clean stencil cut was a pain! My first few attempts were disasters. The vinyl kept tearing, or the lines were jagged. Finally figured out the right blade depth and speed on my cutting machine. Small victories, right?
Heat Pressing Blues
Then came the heat pressing. I scorched one side of the hoodie at first, because I didn’t set the right temperature! Had to do some damage control. Eventually, I got the hang of it and managed to get the graphic properly adhered. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine.
The Final Product (and Lessons Learned)
- Ended up with a kinda cool, kinda janky Kentucky hoodie with my own twist on the OVO theme.
- I learned a TON about design, material science, and just general DIY stuff.
- Most importantly, I had fun! It’s always rewarding to take on a project like this and see it through from start to finish.
Was it worth it?
Honestly, yeah. It was more about the process than the actual product. I got to flex my creative muscles, learned some new skills, and ended up with a one-of-a-kind piece of clothing. Plus, I now have a much better appreciation for the design and manufacturing that goes into these kinds of collections. Would I do it again? Absolutely.
