Miami Beach, FL – November – Cecconi’s was packed with trendsetters and fashionistas for another installment of the Fashion for Breakfast series. Racked Miami’s Ashley Brozic and Kit & Ace’s co-founder JJ Wilson discussed the brand’s big move to Miami, how it got its start and, how Miamians are benefitting from the styles.

World Red Eye caught up with JJ Wilson, who gave us a close look to how Kit and Ace started and what they are hoping to do through their comfort wear.

WRE: Tell us about how Kit and Ace started?

JW: We looked at our friends and family – and ourselves – and saw a group of people living busy, “full-contact” lives who were in search of functional clothing that could keep up, but was still stylish and luxurious. With Shannon’s institutional knowledge, we were able to create an entirely new category of apparel, which we call Technical Luxury™, by elevating luxury fabrics (like cashmere) with technical fibres to make them machine-washable and have added stretch.

WRE: What sets your brand apart from other brands that have a similar idea?

JW: Kit and Ace is turning the athleisure trend on its head. Rather than making athletic clothing that can be worn day to day, we’re making streetwear with attributes suited to movement. We recognized a void in the luxury apparel industry, which led us to create Qemir™, our family of proprietary fabrics that combine technical attributes with luxury fibres. We saw a need for products that offer comfort and functionality without sacrificing style.

WRE: Where do you guys draw inspiration from in your designs?

JW: We’re inspired by and design for the creative class, which to us includes anyone driven by the impact they have on the world around them. These people lead busy lives and need clothing that can take you from morning to night.

WRE: Tell us about some of the fabrics you use? 

JW: All of our products are made from proprietary fabrics within the Qemir™ family. Our foundational fabric is called Technical Cashmere™. To create it, we’ve taken the soft, luxurious aspects of traditional cashmere and enhanced it with technical fibres to make the fabric more durable, machine-washable, and dryer-friendly.

WRE: Who comes up with the styles? What does that creative process look like?

JW: Shannon leads the Kit and Ace design team and she’s the brain behind our design process. She has an incredible wealth of knowledge, which she and the rest of the team apply to create luxurious, technical pieces for busy people.   We’re inspired by the creative class – which includes those closest to us, like friends and family – and we seek to make clothing that both simplifies and enhances their lives.

WRE: Describe the kind of person who is rocking your clothing?

JW: Because we’ve grown so quickly over the past year, our customer base covers a wide range of people all over the world.

WRE: What kind of message do you want Kit and Ace styles to give out?

JW: There isn’t a particular message behind our clothes, but we know that our customers have an appreciation and consideration for luxurious, quality products.

WRE: Where do you see Kit and Ace 10 years from now?

JW: We’re a little more than a year old and we’ve already opened 43 shops, so it’s hard to say what we’ll be doing in ten years. We hope still be at the forefront of innovative, technical design.

We’re inspired by and design for the creative class, which to us includes anyone driven by the impact they have on the world around them.

JJ Wilson, Co-Founder of Kit and Ace