We’re not often privileged with covering the world of high fashion at StockX. But in 2018, and moving forward, it’s likely that the worlds of luxury and streetwear will continue to collide and converge. In the last two years, we’ve seen collaborations between the likes of Louis Vuitton and Supreme as well as Dior and KAWS more recently and in September 2017, Kith took a full collection to the runway at New York Fashion Week for the second time.
Lebron James at Kith’s SS18 show in Fall of 2017
The event was a sight to be seen, featuring collaborations with both Scottie Pippen and Lebron James, who both walked the runway. The show was notably very streetwear, displayed by collaborations with multiple sportswear companies (Nike, adidas, Champion) but Kith did dip their toe into the luxury market with a collaboration with Italian outerwear company, Moncler. The collection itself was dominated by sweatpants and a contrast of muted adidas soccer kits alongside bold, colorful Nike basketball gear.
Kith Model Walking The SS18 Kith Show wearing Champion x Kith
Kith returned to New York Fashion Week this September to showcase their FW18 collection with a spectacle of a runway show. The show featured a fall collection, multiple collabs, and their Kith Winter 2018 Collection. With the crowd sorted across bleachers that could move sideways, the presentation featured four different scenes that could’ve been four different shows. A winter woodland area, meant to showcase the Kith Fall/ Winter collection, was the first scene. The three other settings would showcase three different high powered collaborations.
Kith Model Walking in Kith FW18 Show
The sportswear was still present (see New Balance and a host of Kith sweatpants), but a new caliber and kind of collaborator would show their face as well. The juxtaposition was still there too but this year it didn’t exist between rival brands. It existed between genre of dress. 3M New Balance trainers were paired with topcoats, the ever-popular crossbody bag was worn with a cardigan, and denim (real denim) graced the Kith runway, accurately capturing the fusion of street and higher style that has become so prevalent today. Kith’s long list of collaborators in this frame of the collection featured a multitude of brands, both new and old (New Balance, MSBHV, Eastpak, Levi’s, mastermind JAPAN, Bergdorf Goodman, Columbia, UGG, and Advisory Board Crystals).
Kith Model Walking The FW18 Kith Show wearing Levi’s x Kith
As the show progressed, the bleacher seats began to move to the right, shifting focus from the winter woodland to what looked to be the inside of a library. From two tall doors in the back, Hailey Baldwin (now Hailey Bieber) emerged as the first runway model, wearing a Kith x Tommy Hilfiger colorblock shirt, tie, and pants. As that show came to an end, the bleachers shifted again, revealing a Kith x Greg Lauren collaboration set in what looks like an outpost from a World War 2 movie. A gate with a medusa head featuring word Kith imprinted in it was the final setting of the show. Their final high-powered collaboration of the season was with Italian Luxury Fashion House, Versace. At 124 looks, the collection was more than large enough to accommodate Kith’s aggressive drop schedule.
Kith Model Walking The FW18 Kith Show wearing Kith x Greg Lauren
When you watch the show, there’s a level of progression that can be seen as the looks move down the runway. Using a 4 act runway show, Kith found, blurred, and crossed the line between streetwear and high fashion. It was Kith’s answer to Supreme x Louis Vuitton. It was Bella Hadid walking the runway in a piece of Kith x Versace outerwear. Kith is pushing their consumer to toe the line between street and luxury and maybe even question its existence. Other streetwear brands have shifted their focus to blurring that line as well this season. Palace Skateboards collaborated with American Titan, Ralph Lauren and Noah’s Fall Campaign was heavily prep-influenced.
Bella Hadid Walking The FW18 Kith Show wearing Kith x Versace
Seemingly as important is the fact that over the last two years, we’ve seen major fashion houses come down from their towers to collaborate with those who’d once been thought unlikely. Supreme and Louis Vuitton, Dior and KAWS, Ralph Lauren and Palace, Versace and Kith; all show a climate in which convergence is celebrated. Kith’s appearance at NYFW in 2018 creates an image of what the future will likely look like – streetwear and luxury juxtaposed to a point where it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between the two. The streetwear brand’s narrative moving forward seems clear – set up camp on the line until it officially ceases to exist.
Kith Winter 2018 Collection Lookbook
On December 14th, 2018, Kith released a large portion of the items shown at their 2018 show. Officially named “Kith Winter 2018”, the collection features several items from the Kith x Levi’s as well as the Kith x Eastpak collab. Apart from collaborations, the collection is heavy with in-house outerwear; containing Italian sherpa coats as well as down jackets. Winterized basics span the capsule in the form of reconstructed Williams hoodies and winterized flannels. The sixty look release featured the majority of the outerwear and winter gear shown in the show earlier this year.
Shop the collection here.
