Culture vultures have been searching for the “vibe shift” since its imminent arrival was forecasted this spring. Have we found it? Maybe not when it comes to aesthetics at large, but New York’s downtown barometer of hype, Kith, is certainly embarking on a new path. Starting with the label’s spring collection, founder Ronnie Fieg has been aging up the Kith dude, formalizing his wardrobe, and giving him a little finery. Not to say the brand’s streetwear roots are absent in this pre-fall offering—Fieg is giving his customer base colorblocked, ’90s-inspired tracksuit sets and New Balance sneakers in retro colorways—but the Kith spirit is markedly more mature.
Crochet camp shirts, Positano-evoking striped sets, and micro cords add texture and sprezzatura to the Kith offering this season. Silhouettes are breezy and effortless, with pieces coming in a palette of terrazzo colors. (Relatedly, Fieg spent his 40th birthday in the South of France.) Even logos have gotten a sophisticated update, now debossed for a tonal nod to the brand’s heritage. The logo-free pieces, well, you might never know they were Kith.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? To fashion purists, the hype around Kith has become something of a meme: fuccbois clustering around the stores waiting for the next drop. However funny that is to the glitterati, it does a business make. Without those recognizable, ironically cool staples, what separates Kith from every other menswear label trying to ride the wave of nostalgic eclecticism launched over five years ago by Emily Adams Bode? It might not be totally evident in this chilled out look book, but Fieg knows how to cut a smart path that satisfies his clientele and the culture at large. No doubt Kith will stay on top, even with the mature new vibes.
