Kith and BMW have been collaborating for a couple of years now and they’ve created some of the most interesting and stylish designs of any car/fashion partnership. They’ve also collaborated on several photoshoots, featuring various celebrities and classic cars. They’ve done so much together that the two brands won “Collaboration of the Year” at the 2023 GQ Car Awards.
It isn’t hard to see why the two brands were recognized for their work. Not only did they create cool cars together, they mixed things up. New cars, classic cars, custom cars, photoshoots, and even custom apparel. It wasn’t just one photoshoot with some models wearing car branded gear, like most automaker/fashion designer collabs. Instead, Kith used both the BMW’s history and its future to create various different works of art that stood out from the crowd.
One of the more interesting collaborations was its ‘Chapter II’ electric car duo. Kith used the BMW i4 M50 and the 1972 1602 Electric. Most car enthusiasts are probably unaware of the 1602 Electric, the brand’s first ever attempt at an electric car. Not only did Kith’s owner Ronny Fieg know of the 1602, he wanted to celebrate it.
Some of the celebrities Kith featured in its collaboration shoots with BMW were Edward Norton (Fight Club) and Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad). Even more exciting than the celebrities used in the photoshoots were the cars. There were the aforementioned i4 and 1602 Electric but there were also the BMW M4 Competition Kith edition and Fieg’s own E30 M3. Both of which featured Kith-specific details that were still subtle enough to keep the personality of the actual car.
Why has this partnership been so successful? Because Fieg is passionate about BMW as a brand. Fieg’s grandfather used to drive BMWs, so his childhood was filled with backseat Bimmer rides that sparked his passion for the brand. As Fieg became more successful, he started filling his own garage with BMWs and has a few different ones, both new and old.
When you see some automotive/fashion collaborations, they can make you cringe. Mercedes’ recent bubble-wrapped G-Class at the London fashion show comes to mind. But that’s because those are two brands trying to capitalize on each others’ fame to attract new audiences. With Kith and BMW, there’s a real love for what the brand stands for and its history, which is why it works so well. Even if fashion isn’t your thing, it’s easy to appreciate what a brand like Kith, and an enthusiast like Fieg, have done.
[Source: GQ]
