February saw John Lewis launch KIN – the department store’s first ever ‘lifestyle’ brand, designed by the John Lewis in-house design studio. The range spans menswear, womenswear and childrenswear and provides 'contemporary, fresh and affordable high quality pieces with a distinctly Scandinavian minimalist feel'.
The colours are almost exclusively blues, greys and blacks - a move away from the splashes of colour that other collections display, but you can find colour elsewhere.
KIN’s formal counterpart, KIN tailoring, has been designed to provide men with quality, clean-cut tailoring at a competitive price. I'll spare you the technical and (for me) impenetrable descriptions of 'buggy lined jackets, high-notch lapels and AMF stitching' and suits including 'a geometric pindot and tonics in midnight and grey', because all you need to know is that prices are reasonable and, from my inspection at my local John Lewis store, the quality and styling seem excellent for the price range.
A Grey Fox reader recently write to me to say that he was pleased with his purchase of a KIN linen double-breasted blazer (£129, see below), so that is good enough recommendation for me.
KIN and KIN tailoring is available in select John Lewis stores and online, with prices from £19.50. Here are some images of my favourites from the collection -
Navy suit jacket |
Linen DB jacket |
Cotton knitted tie |
Cotton blazer |
Canvas gym bag |
Cotton mac |
Oxford shirt |
Silk knitted tie |
Denim selvedge jeans |
I've got the midnight suit, and love it. Suits are normally a bit boxy on me, but this one (44R, 36R) fits perfectly. It's cut quite slim, which I prefer, and for the price really can't be beaten. I'm definitely getting another come payday.
ReplyDeleteOne word of warning - I ordered the suit and a white shirt from KIN at the same time. The shirt was well cut and fitted as well as the suit, but it could have been made of tissue paper, after the leaves have been separated - it was see through. Disappointing for a £29 shirt, particularly when you can go to Lewin, M&S etc., and get a white shirt that's made of something not quite as transparent.
Just bought the off-white mac: very pleased with quality at a v good price
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