Kith introduces 5-brand collaboration with Oakley, Adidas, Columbia, Tumi and G-Shock

By

Cassidy Mantor

Published
Mar 27, 2018

Kith is launching a five-brand collaboration called the Element Exploration Agency, a collection of outdoor apparel, footwear and accessories from Oakley, Adidas, Columbia, Tumi and G-Shock.

Pieces in the collection include Oakley Razor Blades sunglasses, Columbia jackets, pants and fleece, and a canvas Tumi bag with leather accents. The color palette pulls inspiration from red Utah dirt complemented by blues from the water sought by the traveler shown in the collection's promotional film, The Voyager.

Kith's Ronnie Fieg said on Instagram that the collection is meant to be a fully rounded product assortment inspired by the dramatic landscape and recreational opportunities in Utah.

Fieg introduced the collection on Instagram saying, "Working with brands I admire to create innovative industry-shifting product has been my goal for Kith since Day 1." He added that the collection is "meant to push our aesthetic into new grounds and show the functional aspect of what Kith stands for."

Kith announced the collection with a 3-minute film called The Voyager which can be found on Columbia's website. In it, the central character is outfitted in a windbreaker and is shown running through the Utah desert in a parody of a nature show where the narrator comments on the action with phrases such as, "He must turn to his instinct, intellect, and equipment to survive.”

Public land use in Utah has become an issue for the outdoor recreation industry, with Patagonia taking the lead in a group of companies in the apparel sector fighting to protect the landscape Kith was inspired by in its new multi-brand collection.

However, as pointed out by some critical observers, Kith's statement celebrating outdoor adventure in Utah could have been even stronger had the brand kept its on the trail in its campaign film, thereby encouraging good outdoors stewardship in a new group of consumers.

Fieg has been previewing the collection on his Instagram. No official launch date information has been released yet.