Kit and Ace Launches in Houston and Brings High End Styling to Technical Wear

Kit and Ace Founders // Shannon and JJ Wilson

I’m not sure about you, but Roz and I get very excited when new stores come to town, especially when that store has yet to exist in Texas up until very recently (Dallas location opened in July, Austin location opening in October). Enter: Kit and Ace, a Vancouver-based company which designs and develops Technical Luxury apparel. Opening on Thursday, August 27th, in the heart of Rice Village (2401 Times Blvd. #110), this company prides itself on designing innovative clothing, clothing that will take you from day to night due to the technical attributes in the proprietary fabrics that are combined with luxury fibers. Shannon and JJ Wilson, Founders of Kit and Ace (and also wife and son of the founder of Lululemon, Chip Wilson), wanted to fill a void in the luxury apparel industry.

Kit and Ace NYC Nolita Store

Keep reading for our interview with JJ to learn more about this brand, the store opening up in just a couple days, and why Shannon and JJ feel so strongly about the fabrics they use and what they’re trying to achieve.

My Red Glasses: How did Kit and Ace come to be as an apparel concept?

Kit and Ace (JJ Wilson): The concept behind the brand was created because we wanted to help save people time. We took a look at our friends and family and saw a group of people living full-contact lives who needed clothing that would keep up, but was still functional, stylish and luxurious. We used our industry experience and Shannon’s institutional knowledge to produce a new kind of product – Technical Luxury™.

Noosa Tee

MRG: Who developed these technical luxury fabrics and could you please elaborate on that concept. Why? What benefits are, etc. 

JJ: Shannon spent two years developing our proprietary family of Technical Luxury™  fabrics – Qemir™ – and perfecting our foundational fabric, Technical Cashmere™. Technical Luxury is a category of apparel we’ve created that caters to the modern consumer who is looking for luxury clothing without sacrificing comfort or function. Luxury fabrics are not versatile by nature – I love cashmere, but I know that it’s very difficult to wear a cashmere garment from day to night without it losing its shape. It’s also very hard to take care of. So, we’ve taken luxury fabrics we love and elevated them by applying technical and functional attributes. 

Essentially it’s a machine washable cashmere interlace. The fabric was designed to consider how people move. We’ve added stretch so that our t-shirts keep they’re shape. It also won’t shrink. We pre-shrink everything so that you can wash and dry Technical Cashmere without having to worry about it shrinking. 

Robinson Tee

MRG: Why did you feel this urge to so rapidly hit the market? You said you saw a void – please describe what that void is in your eyes?

JJ: There was a clear void in the market for luxury apparel that was easy to wear, easy to care for and would keep up with a full-contact day. We wanted to offer technical apparel that has the same luxurious feel as cashmere, and is designed to move with the body, taking you effortlessly throughout your day – and best of all, that you can throw in the wash after. This is a new category of apparel and we want to share that with the world because we’re that excited about it. We’re equally passionate about the innovative products we are creating and the real conversations we are starting. 

MRG: Thrilled that you have picked three Texas locations…..any special expectations from the Texas market?

JJ: We see ourselves in Texas – it’s a key market for us in North America. Houston will be our second shop location in this state – we opened our first one in Dallas in July and are planning to open the doors to our Austin shop this coming October. Houston has a great dynamic and it encapsulates what we’re about – talent, energy and an appreciation for luxury. The state of Texas has a flourishing economy and it’s quickly making a name for itself as an international destination. It makes sense for us to be here – the location really speaks to our brand. 

MRG: You say that you use “hyper-local” elements in the decor of the stores, can you give us an example of either a Houston artist that you are highlighting and are there any special pieces?  You mentioned a Supper club table for example?

JJ: Each shop we open includes a Supper Club table, a Feature Light, an Iconic Photograph as well as an in-shop exhibition space known as The Wall. We collaborate with hyper-local artisans, contractors and designers – the city’s creative class who work hard at their craft and are our neighbours. The Supper Club table is a focal point of our shop. Once a month we host local tastemakers and influencers to come in and enjoy food, drink and conversation. Authenticity and connectedness are things we value and the Supper Club table is just one way that comes together for us. While we are still confirming the local artists and contractors who will create key pieces for the Rice Village shop, we are sure that they will bring in an element of outstanding design and an aesthetic that speaks to the local market. 

Tofino Blanket

MRG: Where beyond the U.S. do you plan on expanding to this year and/or beyond?

JJ: It’s always been the plan to expand globally, and the US is a market that is necessary to explore in order to really understand market variability and product demand. This is only the beginning – we plan to open 30 to 40 shops worldwide by the end of 2015 and have already announced locations for 24 more shops, which are projected to open by Q1 2016. We have a third shop opening in Australia this week, a shop opening in London in early September, and plans to open in Japan this year. 

MRG: How did you come up with the name of the shops?

JJ: When we opened our first shop we still didn’t have a name for our company, but we did have a clear picture as to whom we were making technical cashmere for. We described two fictional characters and how they lived they’re lives. We named her Kit and him Ace. They help us guide our decision’s around brand and design.

MRG: There was a quote that “J.J. Wilson will discuss the opening of the shops, how they plan to offer unique employment opportunities to Houston locals and the importance of having a presence in Houston”, can you elaborate on that please?

JJ: Houston is a city that is rich in diversity. It has a vibrant economy and offers its locals plenty of opportunity – we want to help shape it. The opening of a Kit and Ace shop comes with an abundance of new roles and positions available in-market – it’s an exciting time and only made possible with a little help from the locals. We pull in talent and resources from the surrounding area, whether it be teams that lead shop activities, or the artists and craftsmen that create the look and feel of each shop. We enter neighbourhoods that are promising and culturally-rich – Houston is no different. 

Kit and Ace NYC Nolita Store

MRG: You refer to ‘full-contact’ lives several times, what do you mean by that?

JJ: When we say ‘full-contact’ what we are referring to is anyone that is living a busy lifestyle, with activities that take them from day to night. These people are driven by the impact they have on the world around them – they value their time and need clothing that keeps up. In reality, we believe that our product can be admired and appreciated by anyone in search of effortless, versatile luxury.

MRG: Can you explain the idea behind and the purpose of the Copper Studio and it’s travel plan for the coming year?

JJ: The Copper Studio is a way for Kit and Ace to meet locals and introduce our brand to new markets prior to launching in those areas. We were seeking a way to share Kit and Ace in a way that was not only innovative and exciting, but also reflective of who we are as a brand. We’re moving quickly and we want to engage with as many new markets as possible prior to launching, so a “showroom on wheels” was a natural choice. 

We chose an Airstream specifically because not only are they classic and representative of the quintessential American roadtrip, but by using one, we had a lot of creative leeway to create a beautiful, branded space.

The third leg of the Copper Studio is going to take us through the East Coast of the USA, where we will get to visit places we have not yet explored and we are excited to meet the locals there. From Baton Rouge to Florida, keep your eye out for the Copper Studio. Keep posted on the Grand Tour here.

Thanks, JJ! Pretty amazing, ladies and gentlemen, right? Be sure to pop into the new store as soon as it opens. We can’t wait to shop our little hearts out there!