Once a bastion of textile manufacturing, industry increasingly abandoned Brunswick to go offshore, but Otto & Spike stayed fast – in fact, they've been casting on winter woolies in the suburb now for over 40 years.
Given the period of time for which they've been in operation, Otto & Spike have seen times change – for a start, the Sharpie gangs (the sworn enemies of the Mods and the Aussie suburban precursors to punks and skins) for whom they custom made knits in the '70s have long gone, but some things remain the same. For a start, Otto & Spike are still using quality Aussie and NZ wools and making soft, colourful beanies, blankets, gloves, scarves and socks in quirky patterns.
While they're stocked in a range of choice boutiques (including Smart Alec, milliner for the sartorially splendid gent), Otto & Spike also have a concept store where you can check out their entire range of warm wares.