This season at Kith there are no overarching themes or drawn-out inspirations; rather this is a collection of relaxed pieces that incorporate, as always, Ronnie Fieg’s passion for beautiful fabrics and his continuing interest in expanding the Kith brand to more accurately reflect his own lifestyle and tastes. A navy suit has a loose-fitting jacket with a built-in white scarf layered underneath the collar and was made from a cupro linen blend that gave the traditionally soft fabric a sturdier hand. The suit is part of a new brand under the Kith umbrella, “&Kin,” that Fieg is quietly launching; it will be focused on more tailoring, and more elevated fabrics and materials with a corresponding “elevated price point.” Though it has its own branding, the pieces will otherwise be simply “woven in” with the new collection, a reflection of how real-life closets work.
There is a real earthiness in this summer collection; it looks like Fieg and his team have been feeling a bit of the boho, so-called ’70s influences that have been circulating and incorporated them in a way that feels true to them. See: the cotton shirts with woven-in textured patterns in shades of brick red or hunter green; or the button-downs in light-as-air suede with laser cut paisley patterns. Even the simplest washed twills are heightened through print or silhouette—a boxy pullover shirt gathers at the waist, while a pair of track-inspired pants have six stripes running down the front of each leg, instead of the side.
Fieg has been dabbling in crochet for a few seasons and here the results are particularly excellent: a daisy-esque pattern in off-white and egg yolk-yellow feels like something pulled from a pile of vintage baby clothes in the best possible way, only it’s been turned into a handsome shirt and shorts combo (and worn with tech-y patchworked parka jacket with a terrific subtle volume). One of the best pieces in the collection is a green and white striped shirt with a crochet inset on the sleeves and the back plackets—it looks great on the model who wears it with vintage satin boxing shorts. The latter fabric is another highlight of the lineup, especially on a light blue varsity jacket that really looks like it was found in a vintage store or passed down through at least two generations.
Though many of the Kith signatures are included in the collection, there are a lot less logos overall, and within the anonymity granted by the lack of overt branding a sense of timelessness has emerged. Yet, this doesn’t mean that Fieg is making generic clothes; on the contrary, he is leaning into the idiosyncratic and the unexpected—which is always the sweet spot for great clothes.