Kith does football. The New York-city brand, with no prior connection to soccer, has been bitten by the World Cup bug. The obvious response is an eyebrow roll—what do these guy’s know about the beautiful game? However, to employ an old cliche, this is not the time to judge a book by its cover.
Street fashion is no stranger to athletic style. Over the past year, jerseys have found form on runways across the world (notably Ricardo Tischi’s Fall 2014 show for Givenchy), and Pigalle’s recent collaboration with Nike Sportswear proved continued interest in basketball lifestyle. Form, rather than function, is the rule. Sports look cool. No denying it, but balancing aesthetic with workout ready design is rarely part of the equation (thanks, leather lust).
Kith, with its Kith Football Equipment, has gone back to basics. The short, composed of a micro mesh with an internal cotton bike short (shout out to Rex Chapman), might not follow soccer’s conventional fabric choices, but hits the nail on the head of the form. The length, just above the knee, is perfect. And though the waistband isn’t built specifically for a secure fit, the inner short solves any problems of riding up. Bold branding and soccer-styled badging add distinction and reminds that subtle sportswear isn’t really all that much fun.
This is a rare (welcome) moment when street fashion has effectively (and refreshingly) added to, rather than simply drawn from, athletic wear. There’s only one problem: Gearing up may require the fast keyboarding usually only reserved for die-hard Lulu fans on drop day.
Check out the full KITH Football Equipment collection here.
[KITH NYC]
