As much as I personally love neutrals, and appreciate how practical they are in a wardrobe (timeless, one might say), I also love the occasional pop of color. I was targeted by an Instagram ad by The Kit, a NYC-based company that aims to challenge the old question of Why is sustainable clothing so neutral?
Brand Overview
I’m not normally one to succumb to the allure of Instagram ads – but I couldn’t escape the promise of bright! bold! colors! patterns! From The Kit. They take a unique approach to producing clothing that is similar to slow fashion pioneers like Elizabeth Suzann and Only Child (RIP both).
Like others, The Kit only makes an item once someone orders it. And more specifically, they only dye the fabric after an item has been ordered – an interesting solution to the challenge of producing prints and bold designs sustainably, at scale. I do wonder if this means the clothing may fade more easily over time and washes. I’ll certainly update this review if I do see that happen!
Specifically, the vibrant Palampore collection caught my eye first, reminding me of both Dior’s In Lights collection and Hieronymous Bosch paintings. I decided to order the following items with the intention of keeping at least 1 of the 3 – trying to minimize potential return ‘waste’.
What I Ordered
While I was drawn to the Dottie Shirt, I sadly knew the oversized, long length look would not work for me, as lovely as the design is.
Ordering Process
Their website states that you should expect your order to take 10 – 14 days for production. This timeline is not bad at all – I have waited 4 weeks + for slow fashion items in the past. My order ended up arriving in batches. The Rumi Sweatshirt and Issa Jumpsuit were ready within a week and shipped first.
About 14 days in, I received an email saying that there was an error in the manufacturing of the Jean Jacket. It was being remade up to standards, and would take an additional two weeks or so to produce. This was fine by me, so I made no changes to my order.
Alas, after a two month wait, I asked for a refund since there was no update on timing. I still love the fact that pieces are made to order, and I’m chalking this up to small business scaling woes. So that’s one caveat if you are ordering a completely new style from them vs. something like their jumpsuits, which are more standard.
The Reviews
Rumi Sweatshirt in Palampore
I really wanted to love this! Unfortunately, the body of the sweatshirt was a little too long for me, causing the design to bunch up a bit. However, I was impressed by the printing of the design and liked that the material is not your typical sweatshirt fleece – it almost has a scuba-like feel to it.
Issa Jumpsuit in Lilac
Speaking of which – I love this jumpsuit! At first try, it wasn’t love, as I thought the sleeves stuck out to the side a little too much. However, I gave it a good steam and much prefer the toned down sleeves. I ordered this in a size XS, as I didn’t want too much of an oversized fit.
Out of the three pieces, this one is the farthest departure from what I normally wear. I own zero jumpsuits (typically, fit is an issue for my short torso) and only two full solid color items: a pair of terra cotta Elizabeth Suzann pants and my green Reformation dress.
The only downside is that the material is a lightweight cotton that shows wrinkles easily. I’ve gotten used to this with my linen pieces, but it may be bothersome for some. There are multiple versions of this jumpsuit, darker colors like this and this might be better at hiding wrinkles.
Additionally, I may make a slight alteration – I find that the legs are a little long for my 5’4” self, and might shorten them by 1”. I think the pattern is bold enough to preserve just fine with a slight hem.
Verdict
Overall, I am a fan of The Kit and also of their designs. I love that they are bold and colorful, without necessarily adhering to any clear color trends of the moment – which means that they will not be beholden to what’s ‘in’ or ‘out’.
I imagine they will iron out their processes and operations over time, and hope they are around for a while!
