Kith is celebrating 10 years in business this season. Founder Ronnie Fieg is marking the anniversary with a 300-page tome in collaboration with Jim Moore called KXTH, which chronicles every project in the Kith universe, from BMW to Cap’n Crunch. It reads less like the emotional story of building a brand—however passionate Fieg is about each and every product—and more like a cross between an encyclopedia and a catalogue. Other brands could consider it a roadmap to massive success; this year Kith moved its 120 employees to a 60,000 square foot office in Brooklyn and, yet again, is making record profits.
The collection that marks Kith’s 10th anniversary is, perhaps, something of a surprise. The brand that deals in hype, pop, and collaborations is doing something much more humble for fall 2021. Sure there’s a big time partnership with the New York Yankees and New York Mets: The teams lent their logos to adorn suits, jackets, and Clark’s shoes. But beyond that, what Fieg and his team have developed is mostly in a neutral palette of humble, easy silhouettes. “We feel more purposeful in what we’re making,” Fieg said over a video call. His favorite piece is a shearling patchwork coat—no logos or obvious branding. Coaches’ jackets and straight-leg pants make up the Kith version of a suit: another hype-free style that could lure a new customer to Kith’s Soho megastore.
When Fieg started Kith he was 28-years old; now he’s a decade older and dressing for a more grown-up life. The kids will still line up for Kith’s buzzy drops, but Fieg is smart to evolve his collection into something for the Kith man too.
