Kith and the iconic American brand Russell Athletic reprise their partnership for 2020 with a collection focused on bridging the past and the present. Russell Athletic’s incomparable fleece is renowned for its longstanding quality, thus making it a coveted fabric for vintage enthusiasts. To highlight this enduring quality, Kith searched for vintage Russell pieces from all over and curated a selection that sets the foundation of the duo’s third collaboration.
The collection highlights four of Kith’s staple silhouettes – the Gi, Hoodie, Crewneck, and Short. The vintage Russell pieces were then compiled, cut, and entirely reconstructed according to a patchwork pattern to create these four silhouettes. By doing this, every single piece is completely unique and a one-of-one created through vintage upcycling. This marriage of Kith’s patterns and Russell Athletic’s vintage archive serves as the perfect embodiment of this partnership. A specific color palette is exhibited through these styles, as the vintage pieces were sourced according to a specific color range inspired by Kith’s and Russell’s signature tones. Lastly, an embroidered Kith for Russell patch is seen across every style as a final stamp of approval.
In addition to these four styles will be a range of Russell Athletic vintage tees curated by Kith, which date back to 1970-99. Each tee features a printed Kith logo on the chest. This assortment is comprised of approximately 160 tees, each showcasing the unique heritage of Russell Athletic.
Due to the one-of-one nature of this collection, it will not be sold online, and will exist exclusively in Kith’s US and Japan flagship stores and shop-in-shops. Sizing is offered in XS/S, M/L, and XL/XXL depending on the piece.
The Kith for Russell Athletic One of One Collection releases on Monday, October 5th, at all Kith shops.
Photography: Ian Evan Lam
Styling: Maurice Diallo
