Ronnie Fieg is continuing to expand Kith while balancing investment, risk and what he sees as value for consumers. Speaking at WWD’s Apparel and Retail CEO Summit, the founder, chief executive officer and creative director said value goes beyond a product’s price or quality: it also depends on how customers incorporate the brand into their lives and feel about wearing it.

Kith’s recent moves include a third collection with Giorgio Armani, presented in Morocco in mid-October, and the opening of its second Canadian store in Vancouver, its 22nd worldwide. Fieg said the brand’s expansion is guided partly by data, but also by a willingness to take risks. Strong online sales in Vancouver did not fully establish demand for a 7,000-square-foot store, and the opening drew about 3,000 people, he said.

In 2027, Kith plans to enter San Francisco and Washington, D.C., with stores and Ronnie’s restaurant locations in both cities. The Miami Beach location, which opened in 2016 as Kith’s first outside New York City, is also set for a revamp. Fieg said he wants the brand’s spaces to become destinations where customers can spend time, not simply places to shop.

The brand has also ventured beyond its expected retail and apparel activities. Its Morocco show took two years to develop, while Kith Ivy, a members-only wellness and padel club in Manhattan’s West Village, opened last year in partnership with Giorgio Armani, Wilson Sporting Goods, Erewhon and Cafe Mogador. Fieg said the idea took shape after he began playing padel during a winter visit to Miami and considered how clothing and setting could influence the sport’s identity.

Fieg said he wants Kith to make each brand experience feel special, describing his approach as a form of “new luxury.” He argued that broad availability can make luxury feel less distinctive, while a visit to a shop should be memorable even when a customer does not make a purchase.

He also raised concern that short-form media and the volume of information children encounter could reduce curiosity and make it harder for people to develop lasting enthusiasm for things they love.

Sources: WWD.