KITH, the Californian genius of retail content marketing<

Are you tired of the rows of identical stores in all the capitals of the world? Yes, this retail is terribly boring…

But step into KITH, 8500 Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood. Descend the arty staircase – under an arbor of green and white leaves (look closely, the white keys are actually sneakers).

And there is the enchantment. Everything surprises. Everything fascinates. Products, installation, color association, music. Not to mention the customers.

KITH was founded in 2011 by Ronnie Fieg, a shoe industry figure born and raised in Queens with over twenty years of experience in the industry.

KITH is both a label and a concept store. “KITH operates on two planes – a multifunctional lifestyle brand for both men and women, and a progressive retail establishment” can be read on the site.

Imagining the KITH concept as an extension of himself, Ronnie Fieg seeks both to change the current fashion landscape, while operating a personal philosophy, which is to give the consumer more than what he pays for.

5 concept stores to date (including one in London), created with Snarkitecture, a collaborative design entity based in New York.

The ingredients of success

Kith x Coca-Cola installations in the various stores

Just witnessed a guy call a service man to come caulk around his toilet and tub.......Listen men, theres certain sh… https://t.co/7QpxJSxnEh

— Niko Tesla Fri Oct 12 03:54:44 +0000 2018

In general, the blog of a brand or a store will only deal with a few selective subjects and it will be an “added section” of the e-commerce site, with no real link with its 24/7 life. Kith's blog – called Content – ​​is an open book of all of Kith's work. It is an excellent marketing tool. Each new garment, sneaker, accessory, sold by Kith will have its little teasing post, of variable size and format (text, video), but it will be entitled to its quarter of an hour of fame, in the midst of a profusion of other miscellaneous content: posts with videos, lookbooks, behind the scenes stories of a product launch. A perpetual multiform narration that makes the blog digest to read, and always alive. The smallest element related to the brand will have its content.

“Communicating the story behind these products creates more value in the eyes of the customer as the sweatshirt or pair of shoes goes from an ordinary item of clothing to an item with a story and a rich history behind it” explains an industry expert streetwear in Medium. Ahead of the launch of the Tommy Hilfiger x Kith collection, a blog post featured details of the collection, along with a video in which Ronnie Fieg and Tommy Hilfiger discussed the future of fashion and why of their cooperation.

Such online content is hard work, both creatively and financially. The richness of the content – ​​sometimes videos in several parts – has nothing to compare with a blog that you entrust to an intern. But in this way, the site visitor knows that there are real people behind the e-Commerce pages who, like him, are driven by the same passion for a Streetwear lifestyle.

Catering – From now on, a lifestyle boutique can't ignore its catering space (next to Melrose, The RealReal has its CaféCafé; Ladurée has set up shop at Mensure Gavriel). At Kith's, the bar is called Kith Treats, and it's a cereal bar. The fifty or so varieties are presented in large jars hung on the wall and enrich an ice cream or a milkshake. The customer personalizes in his own way.Kith has even thought of foodies working in the neighborhood, and offers a commuter bowl.

We come out of the store having spent a lot more time than expected, with or without package, but keeping for a long time – that's for sure – the memory of this very surprising moment which makes you want to follow the brand on the networks until the next store visit. Isn't that what every boutique should be?

This address was recommended to me by Camille Cabale-Téhar, founder of Connecting Dots in Los Angeles, active member of Fab Fashion and BeautyTech LA and former VP WestCoast of FrenchFonder.

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The correspondant :

Laurence Faguer is a go-between France and USA marketer and entrepreneur, founder of Customer Insight.

At the request of French companies, she personally identifies innovations in Digital, Mobile and Retail in the United States, before they are known in France, then helps them to successfully transpose these strategies that have proven themselves in the US.

Laurence is a US expert for FrenchWeb who from time to time resumes publishing articles on her blog.