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Kibrono goes in-depth on launching a new apparel line in Los Angeles

By Sara Ehlers

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Fashion |INTERVIEW

Established less than a year ago, Los Angeles-based brand Kibrono is already making waves. Created by co-founders Lucas Allen and Blake Landis, the unique new label has created an aesthetic including a fresh color palette and a modern take on cover-ups and outerwear. As a new brand starting out in the city, the fashion brand has seemed to gain some momentum as an online-only store currently. FashionUnited chatted with co-founder, Allen, who also serves the role as chief executive officer for the company about Kibrono's emergence in Los Angeles along with its newly launched spring collection.

Tell us a little about what makes Kibrono stand out as a brand.

Kibrono is alternative, versatile, gender neutral casual wear - modern and sophisticated yet fun and ready for adventure. Our relaxed fitting, uniquely designed jackets take tradition and familiarity and infuse it with a distinct, LA-vibe.

What inspired you for this particular label and its concept?

The inspiration came on a couple of trips to Mexico and Costa Rica. The girls were wearing some beautiful flowy bohemian cover-ups and jackets and we naturally found ourselves drawn to the style. We felt the male audience was and still is underserved in this market and that gender-neutral clothing was going to continue to gain momentum. We loved the idea of making the same jackets for men and women with varying textures and pops of color and playing with the stereotypes that we were raised in of what’s for “guys” and what’s for “girls,” We love the new masculine and it’s relationship with the feminine. Pairing that with high-end fabrics, local manufacturing in limited run productions with meticulous attention to detail, we think this line is the perfect representation of our vibe and of the time we are living in. These foundational elements create truly endless opportunity for us to create.

What is the current range for the spring collection?

The Spring jacket collection ranges from 160 to 195 dollars. We will continue to keep our pricing approachable for the quality that we are delivering. We are working on some one-of- one custom pieces that will be priced in the 200 dollars, coming in the next few weeks, but our target price point for most of our collections going forward is in the 160 to 215 dollars range.

Why have you decided to launch in the U.S., specifically Los Angeles?

LA is my home. I absolutely love this city and I think the lifestyle here resonates with people all over the world. It’s unique from many other global cities in its expansive layout, which creates this feeling like you can experience five different cities in the same day.

What were some factors you considered in choosing a company that focuses on linen outerwear?

Our aesthetic is truly is a representation of how I spend most of my days, which is usually at the beach in the early morning for a run or yoga, then eventually making my way downtown for meetings. These jackets are the perfect companions on that journey. I love working with linen because of it’s strength and comfort. I think it’s the perfect fabric for our tradition meets modern, sophisticated, yet playful energy.

Do you feel that the weather and culture of Los Angeles plays a role in the success of your line?

We’re definitely putting our stake in the ground in LA and are growing our audience here quicker than anywhere else and we don’t expect that to change in the near future. It’s summer here basically year round, but we believe this aesthetic speaks to a global audience and we’re witnessing that first hand.

With L.A. fashion constantly changing, do you think that makes it hard to stay up with the current trends in your label?

I believe that the trends we’ve positioned ourselves around are here to stay. I think gender neutrality, versatility, and an emphasis on high-end quality while keeping inclusive pricing will continue to speak to an expanding audience. In addition to that, this city is a constant provider of inspiration. We’ve created an open communication line with our audience so I think that will contribute to our ability to keep our finger on the pulse of our target market.

Do you have any future plans for the company, including retail?

We’re available strictly online for the next few months but we will be doing a couple of pop-ups locally this summer. [However, we] will be moving into select boutiques in later 2018 and 2019. We’re in talks to do a couple of partnerships launching in summer but that’ll be revealed later!

Photo Source: Kibrono

kibrono
Los Angeles