Seriously, just sew all your grandmothers lace doilies together and be done.

Or find someone who crochets/knits and commission it. :)

Why would anyone buy that? Other than not being very attractive the price is obscene.

The paisley part is crocheted and the long ribbed sections (the band that goes up either side of the front opening and around the neck and where the sleeves join the shoulders) is knitted. You'd need to know what you're doing to pull this one off.

Here's a pullover https://www.pinterest.com/pin/567101778087483275/ Looks like they crochet the paisleys randomly then assemble them with chain links to fill in the blank spaces. They do knit ribbing to make the straight seams to create the drop shoulder.

For that price you ought to be able to live in it and drive it around.

Looks like Neiman wants $9,500 for the pullover so the Bergdorf is already a bargain....

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I kind-of like it too. Not for that price, of course. But with some leggings and nice boots, a good chunky necklace...I'd wear it. But someone will have to give it to me, because I'm not paying that! 😁

That is not a beginner project with all the openwork and shaping -- though I feel it would be easier in crochet than knitting. The materials would not be cheap, if you could find the right weight of cashmere. Most cashmere is very fine -- like you would use for gloves. You can spend $100 or more for that yarn yarn to make a simple pair of short gloves, so the yarn alone would be a pretty chunk of change. I know an artist who does crochet for hire. I wonder what she would charge for something like that if she could get the right yarn.

When I was doing fashion design in San Francisco, we hired someone to do our knitting for us, and we would pay $350 for someone to knit a somewhat similar sweater. However, that was in 1981, and so costs have gone up, but I think you should be able to find someone to make it for under $1.250, if you want to copy it, but then it depends on where you want to have it made.

Don't try this at home if you have not knitted or crocheted before.

I have knitted and crocheted, very simple projects. I found the price and the design rather humorous, but interesting. It's ART! I'm more of a shawl collar angora gal. I no longer dress up to go to work....so the tailored grey slacks are gathering dust in my spare closet. :0) No more dry cleaning for me.

Mid-calf long cardigan sweaters, worn with boots, have been trending for a few years....but I've not spent much money on the two I own. ♥

I knit and crochet, and the sweater is mostly crochet, which can work up faster than knit but uses more yarn. i have crocheted elaborate doilies just to see if i can do it. i have no use for them other than to use to setup a buffet. i think this design would be rather fattening and something that only a very thin person could wear well.

Everything on that site a tad above my price range. I'll stick to Goodwill.

Are pants with pleats back?

I'd probably put my thumb through it while putting it on, thereby ruining it. I dislike the boots, but then there are people who can wear anything well. These people are usually models. :-)

I don't suppose it's machine washable . . .

I can't even begin about the price tag, although I do like the whole outfit. My DH says I have "old lady" fashion taste, so that's not necessarily a compliment to the designer.

In the midwest we call those muck boots. Yuck.

I think the sweater would be a monster to knit/crochet. Old lady chic. Is that a thing now?

I love the boots and think she looks really cool. I'd wear them with leggings though, no way could I pull off her outfit.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

I actually like the sweater, it's a work of art. But I don't like the rest of her garb, it detracts from the sweater. The over all look is just sloppy, or messy, where it could be either elegant or fun.

But personally, I can't imagine anyone paying that price for an article of clothing. I guess there is a whole 'class' of people out there that are in a completely different world than the one I live in!

Rusty

The yarn would be pricey and there is a good deal of labor and skill involved. But really...not that many thousands of dollars worth. You would need to have more money than brains to buy that sweater.

Rusty & Elizabeth...So funny! ☺ I agree! I really had NO idea it was possible to spend THAT much on a sweater. I'm so out of the loop.

I did look up cashmere yarn. $15.99 a skein. I once worked with a woman who's 1st knitting project was a wool sweater. She wore it often. ♥ I did think about making THIS sweater....for about a minute. lol

That much money could help an animal rescue organization....or house a homeless family for a year.

I really like the sweater , it's stunning - from the front. The back view seems a little too big and bulky. I inherited a large bag of my Nana's crocheted doilies, bedspreads and tablecloths that have been sitting in my sewing closet for over a decade. I have used the tablecloth and bedspread but laundering them is difficult. I only did it once - in the bathtub and then spread out on a sheet in the yard to dry.

But those boots just don't go with the outfit.

Maire

It is beautiful. very feminine with the details. hard to fine something as lovely as this these days.

It's beautiful, love the boots too. It's way too expensive for me.

Expert and life-long crocheter here (for whatever it's worth to know) - this looks like something that, to be done the exact same way, would need to be done by someone who can both crochet and knit. The motif is crocheted while the hem and sleeve ribbing is knitted.

Cashmere alone you're looking at probably $750 in yarn.

Time- it says 28 hours, that seems drastically low to me. I'd guess at least 40 or more to get this done IF you have a pattern. Without a pattern? Add another 20 to it just to figure out the motif(s).

So someone who is skilled enough to replicate this would probably charge at least $2,500 including materials and shipping and payment fees, if any. Better than the retail price by far!

Just my two cents :)

Really interesting to hear from someone who knows. Thank you Azzy Rae.

I love the boots too, but I agree they don't go with the rest of this outfit.

You're welcome. Agreed. No to the boots with this outfit lol.

Cashmere costs too much. Why is that? Anyone knows?

Why is it often more expensive to purchase yarn than an already knit (typical, machine made) sweater? i have not knit for years but it can be an expensive hobby.

Cashmere costs too much. Why is that? Anyone knows?

It takes a couple weeks for a goat to shed its hair- often it's still hand combed off for those couple weeks to keep if fine from guard hairs, though coarser cashmere can be made form sheared goats. There's a refining process to make it into the yarn, and standards by which the process has to stick to in order to be called cashmere.

More recently there has been an added factor- climate change. As the areas where the goat herds get climate shift, the goats will produce less of the insulating undercoat that gets used for cashmere. And as snowfall shifts, keeping the herds properly fed to produce in the spring becomes more difficult and/or expensive.

I love that sweater! Not enough to pay that price or chase down someone to make a bespoke version, but its cute!

Why is it often more expensive to purchase yarn than an already knit (typical, machine made) sweater? i have not knit for years but it can be an expensive hobby.

You answered the question for yourself already- cuz machines can make it. Less time = less money. Also they don't often use the best materials in doing so.

also, fast fashion, cheap labor overseas.

Beesneeds, thanks for the info. This is very educational. Is 100% cashmere rare? I just checked my cashmere sweater coat, it's 80% angora, 20% acrylic. Not 100% angora.

If you don't care about the fiber content of the yarn you could use something less expensive. And if you don't want to make an exact copy you could use it as inspiration, and look for some free-form crochet instructions.

Is 100% cashmere rare? I just checked my cashmere sweater coat, it's 80% angora, 20% acrylic. Not 100% angora.

100% cashmere isn't rare, but it is a luxury item. It is also common to blend it with other fiber, and more recently there has been some adulturation in the wool market. Which means some of the new cashmere might be labeled at 100%, but not be all fine cashmere certified or fully from the goats.

Angora fiber comes from Angora rabbits, and like the goats they get their fur groomed off them before processing. There is also mohair, which comes from Angora goats.

Depending on what the manufacturer wants, the fibers/wools can be on their own, or mixed with synthetic or other natural fibers.

In the case of your coat, it is an angora blend coat, not a cashmere coat.

Thanks for the clarification. Now I know mine is a rabbit hair blended sweater coat. For some reason I thought angora meant goat hair/cashmere. :-)

I had a mohair sweater in high school. I was quite thin but still looked like the Michelin tire man when I wore it.

The cost of yarn is a big reason why I have knit only two sweaters in my life. The fact that it is generally too warm to get a lot of wear out of wool or any animal fibers in the south is another, Both of the ones I made were for spring/summer and made in cotton. And yes, they both cost more to make than to buy something ready made, but they were special enough that I loved them and enjoyed making them. These paisley sweaters would be interesting to me -- crocheted motifs with lots of texture, joining them to fill out pattern pieces and create more texture ( a little patchwork/mosaic thing going on) and just enough ribbing to not make me cry, and them putting it all together in a one of a kind statement piece. I'd probably pick a different motif shape and a color that could be worn 6-9 months out of the year and have some fun with it if I were going to make the effort. And as much as I love the feel of cashmere, I would make a different yarn choice.

How many skeins of yarn would it take to make a sweater like this? 5 skeins if 275yards a skein? If making a normal, shawl collar sweater? By comparison....

Amazon $15.99 a skein.

This is Beautiful!

I would be suspect of that yarn. It is very inexpensive, from China and 4 of the 5 reviews are bad.

The shawl collar sweater is by Banana Republic. $160. It's affordable. Not 100% Cashmere? Maybe that's why it's so inexpensive? it's not 100% cashmere.

That is very fine yarn. The photos are gorgeous, but quality issues with Amazon "deals" and that price would have me leary. Years ago I looked at a luscious cashmere yarn and decided "someday" -- it was $50 a skein and took 2 skeins to do short gloves. Cashmere hasn't gotten less expensive, so I am skeptical. But that also isn't the right kind of yarn for the Bergdorf sweater. It might make gloves or a finely knit sweater, but the one you like is made of a heavier yarn and worked in a bulky, textured style. Very different animal.

The bulkier yarns may be 100 yarns per skein and at least $30-50 per skein. The finished size also makes a difference -- tall or large folks will need 10-50% more yarn. As far as yardage, it would be a guess until you found the right yarn and worked up a sample swatch. I've looked at sweaters ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 yards, but none of them were like this one. Without a sample swatch and some careful calculations, I'd want to buy a lot more than I ever thought I'd need. It's always better to have extra and make a hat or scarf to match or gift than to be one sleeve or 2 inches too short with no more yarn available or a dye lot that doesn't work.

Another way to approach it would be to do a mock up in an inexpensive yarn and test the pattern ideas, texture, fit and whether you really love it before spending the money on cashmere. Kind of like making a muslin of a pattern in sewing.

Cashmere yarn is rarely 100% cashmere. At best it is 35% and can still be called cashmere. Many are 10% to 20%. I agree to doing a test swatch. Make sure your gauge is correct and that the fabric has the drape and the bloom that you are looking for. Don't forget to hand wash it and dry flat to see if it becomes softer or not. It's a big investment not only in money but in time.

Have you looked at this cashmere at yarn.com?

https://www.yarn.com/products/artyarns-cashmere-eco?via=Z2lkOi8veWFybi9Xb3JrYXJlYTo6Q2F0YWxvZzo6Q2F0ZWdvcnkvNjEzOTdiNDI2NjNmNmYwMDAxOWEwZmMz

It is 50% re-cycled cashmere and 50% virgin cashmere. Very reputable yarn seller.

( Keep in mind that 50gm. is about how much yarn it takes to knit one sock )

Elizabeth, is 80% angora yarn rare (20% acrylic)? How much yarn would need for a 50" length sweater coat? I am just wondering.

It depends greatly how much yarn you would need for a sweater coat. Less if you use large needles or make a smaller size. Your pattern should tell you exactly how much.

The shawl collar sweater is by Banana Republic. $160. It's affordable. Not 100% Cashmere? Maybe that's why it's so inexpensive? it's not 100% cashmere.

That sweater is 0% cashmere. Good quality alpaca wool can be pricey, but not as pricey as cashmere. The fact that it's 49% synthetic nylon and spandex added to the natural alpaca fiber content is probably part of the reason why it's less expensive than the cashemere one. Another factor is that it's a machine made sweater and not a hand made one like the cashmere one is.

You might feel with the tie around the waist it will make you look heavier as belts do. if you make the sides more fitted I think a great many figures would look great in it. i

I can (and do) knit beautiful sweaters for less than $20...but I do start earlier in the process, with undyed yarn (from British wool). Have taken the process back to the beginning, from a raw fleece but I think I have found the perfect place, where skills, budget and time combine to make a gorgeous garment without sweatshop labour, plastic yarn or fashion branding. Taken me most of a lifetime but...