Underground streetwear king Ronnie Fieg officially took his NYC-based Kith label above ground this past week as he debuted his newest collection during New York Fashion Week.
A coming out of sorts for Mr. Fieg, the show, titled “Kithland” and held at Samsung’s sprawling Meatpacking District space, was easily one of the most anticipated shows of the week as celebs and journalists alike tried to get a sneak peek at what’s likely to be one of the hottest labels to wear this fall. And the event certainly lived up to all the hype.
Working with casting director Kevin Amato, stylist Eugene Tong, and creative director Nate Brown (the man behind concert designs for the likes of Jay Z, Beyoncé, and Kanye), Fieg had the runway filled with models, videos, and performances by NYC-based rappers Mase, Fabolous, and The Lox.
As for the clothes themselves, the collections were divided into three central themes—Beach, City, and Mountain—alluding to Fieg’s New York roots and plans for future Kith locations in Miami and Aspen. And while the usual Kith staples like hoodies, sweats, denim, and kicks were on full display, the crowd was also treated to a few new Kith categories like colorful swimwear for the beaches of Miami, an Aspen-inspired burgundy fleece robe, and even a textured sherpa teddy jacket designed in collaboration with Japanese label Ones Stroke.
On top of Fieg’s fashion week debut and introduction of his newest collections, the event also highlighted Kith’s latest NYC location—an outpost in luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman. Sitting right across the floor from designer Thom Browne’s space, the Bergdorf outpost will not only sell Kith’s main line, but also an exclusive Kith x Bergdorf Goodman capsule collection consisting of six limited-edition styled hoodies, sweatshirts, t-shirts, tracksuits, and baseball caps.
So what’s the big takeaway from all of this? Well, besides witnessing the rise of yet another underground streetwear designer, it appears as though streetwear, “athleisure,” and whatever else you want to call it has officially gone mainstream and is here to stay. And after years of Mad Men-styled men peacocking through the streets in their latest dapper wares, it’s a welcomed sight to see.
You can check out Kith’s newest pieces online now at kithnyc.com.
