Kikwear Industries: (re)Rise of the Phatts
Attention all breakers, jumpers, ravers and freaks Kikwear, Inc. is back with a mission and you should be excited. For those who aren’t in the know Kikwear was a staple of old school rave fashion and is re-launching with an all new line this winter. Notorious for their wide leg pants (phatts) and commitment to quality expect to see the scene sporting a whole new look once the line launches. Could this harbor the end of skinny jeans? With an unbeatable blend of comfort and durability Kikwear has long been a favorite of the collective community that made up the 90’s rave scene. They are looking to come back and remind us all why that pair of Kiks were always our most loved. Maybe like me they are long lost or you always longed for a pair but never were lucky enough to own a pair. I’ll tell ya’ what though, the new ones I got are as comfy as I remember and can make it through hours of bass pounding glory while still staying cool. With a small sampling of some of their classic styles check out www.kikwear.com to get a pair now, and be the first to get a pair when the line re-launches later this winter.
Talking with Alex Berenson, co-founder and CEO of Kikwear, Inc., I got to get a special glimpse into the past and future of this ultra-comfy line and the company. Founded in 1991 by three partners (one of which is no longer with the company) Kikwear took the scene with force. It seemed like everyone was rocking their customized Kik phatts (and there were plenty of brands to choose from at the time). I personally can’t wait to see what this new line is going to treat us all to.
So now onto the goods, the low down on the things that made this re-launch happen and some fond memories of Kikwear past. Three simple questions are all it took to get a nice glimpse into the past, present and future of Kikwear, Inc.
Me: After seeing the presence of Kikwear in the old rave Culture, what are you hoping to see with your involvement in the new booming culture that has sprung up in the recent years?
Alex: “When the Kikwear & Kikgirl brands were hot in the 90’s Kikwear, Inc. wasn’t too involved with the ancillary elements of the scene. Our focus was 100% on keeping up with the demand for our pants and breaking with new styles all the time. We were a highly sought after pant resource for specialty and national chain store accounts so we were entrenched in design and production. There wasn’t a social media presence whatsoever which meant that we were focused on what our company reps and buyers wanted.
Today is an entirely different climate. Kikwear realized that a re-launch was not only feasible, but also very much wanted by the current rave & EDM community. I did some general research about the various elements such as the music, dance, and of course the fashion that was synonymous with the general scene. From there, I jumped back on the Kikwear Facebook page and started talking to our fans. The fan base started growing and began telling me what was missing from a clothing perspective. In this new and exciting movement, we plan on positioning Kikwear not only as a pant maker for the party enthusiasts. We’re also developing a national street and dance team that is helping the company tremendously. They’re constantly promoting the Kikwear reboot happening this winter. The Street team is comprised of so many different types of people so we’re getting great information. On our second tour in this exploding scene, we plan to be much more closely involved with key events as sponsors. Further, we are targeting the DJ’s who are creating amazing music for the dance community. We support them tremendously which is something we didn’t do in the 90’s. Another major difference between Kikwear in the ‘90s and Kikwear today is that we’re not wasting time on styles that simply don’t mean anything. In other words, don’t expect to see Kikwear to be selling a lot of shirts or jackets. People want Kikwear pants, t’s, and hoodies. It’s a simple formula that we’re going to adhere closely to.”
Mmmm, if those hoodies are like the pants I may never need to buy clothes again. I will live in them. It’s refreshing to see a company that knows exactly what they and their fans (not target market, but true die-hard fans) want. I’ve been waiting for this re-launch since the day I was informed I couldn’t get my Kik fix any longer back in the day and I know there are plenty more like minded individuals out there.
Alex is also really excited about the number of events that Kikwear is already sponsoring. With events all across the nation with the Kikwear name behind them get ready for some massively good times and banging beats. I’m personally very excited to be attending Holiday Cheer, an awesome charity event to raise money to buy toys for children at the Willis Center homeless shelters throughout Massachusetts, December 8th in Worcester, MA. The event is being put on by Shane Burke of the Mutiny Event Production Company, and if you haven’t been to a Mutiny event yet you absolutely need to make a point of doing so. I only wish that there was a way for me to make it down to Atlanta, GA for part of the Relaunch Tour, Kandi Kid Paradise on November 29th to see fellow team members Zoe & Rob VanWest throw down in the same booth as Hixxy (truly a Kandi Kid’s paradise.) Also taking the crowd by storm will be yet another member of the Kikwear family John Perihelion Bush out of TN. The event is being promoted by David PurePlur Williams and promises to blow all you lucky attendees right out of your Kiks (pun totally intended.) With Kikwear aligning themselves with some of the top tier EDM & Rave events all over the US and Canada expect the epic events to blow up the scene.
Me: What is your fondest memory of Kikwear?
Alex: “In 1997, a promoter for a local Rave in Los Angeles invited me and my team to his event. It was a large size venue and I took him up on his offer. What I’m about to describe is something I will NEVER forget. As I walked up to the front of the line to meet the promoter, I noticed a line of no less than 250 Kids waiting to get in. Before entering the party, I walked up and down the winding row of these kids. What I saw was absolutely astounding --- without a doubt, 3 out of 4 people in that line were wearing Kikwear pants. Now remember in the ‘90s, there were a lot of brands selling wide leg pants so we weren’t the only choice out there. When I finally walked into the party, I witnessed the same thing. There must have been close to 1,000 people wearing Kiks that were all tattered and seriously worn. I saw a lot of Kik pants that were custom made for that individual. Some had patches and screen prints. Others had extra fabric sewn into the side seams to make them even wider. That particular event is clearly one of the fondest memories regarding Kikwear. It was also extremely exciting to see the product on the shelves of many retailers, especially Hot Topic. Hot Topic was by far the company’s #1 account and they catered to our precise demographic. Without question, Hot Topic was a major reason for Kikwear’s vast success in the ‘90s when the Rave scene was gigantic.”
It seems like every pair of well-loved pair of Kiks I saw used to all be customized to some extent. The reflective panels and straps, bright neon patch work and custom piping was such a unique thing. Having a product that could stand up to the punishment while looking 100% one of a kind (with as little or as much modification as the owner wanted to put into them) was key. And boy did Kikwear deliver.
Me: What was the thing that made this amazing re-launch take off?
Alex: “Once we made an official announcement on our Facebook page that we were re-launching, the word spread fast all over the country. At first there was speculation that it was merely a rumor. By the time people realized it was really happening, our national street team helped to verify that fact. Within a few weeks, our logos were showing up on flyers. It didn’t take long for certain Kikwear posts to be shared in various groups that are tied to the Rave and EDM scene. All of a sudden blogs and stories were showing up all over the Internet about the Kikwear re-launch and now it is a hot conversation around the country. The support and dedication to Kikwear is really quite remarkable. My partner and I couldn’t be happier or more excited about this. It IS happening and the energy behind this reality is getting stronger by the day. Due to the news of the Kikwear reboot, we’re now considering bringing back Kikgirl as well. So there’s a lot of great stuff happening with the company and to have the opportunity to make a legitimate comeback is a very humbling experience that Team Kikwear is incredibly grateful for.”
So there you have it. Kikwear is coming back and will be a force to be reckoned with. As the countdown to re-launch ticks closer and closer I hope all of you are as excited as I am. Big things are in store for all of us old school and the new school nuts alike. So get ready to jump and groove all night long and revel in the glory of the return of the era of the phatts.
P.L.U.R. to all.
-Drew ‘Inkkie’ Ross
