If you live in the Mother City, there’s no denying that a K-Way jacket is part of the Capetonian starter kit.
Coming all the way from Joburg, I was initially shocked when a man in a bright blue K-Way puffer blocked my airplane window view of the iconic Table Mountain. Little did I know that this would be the first of many view-blocking moments by the arguably even more iconic K-Way puffer, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Ashleigh Nefdt .
The man didn’t stop at just consuming my view. He went on to inform me that he had a lot of “outdoor activities” planned for his return home. The outfit was a big enough hint – I had no doubt that he would hop right off the plane and right onto a hiking trail. No outfit change necessary. He was good to go.
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Until recently, K-Way was very much considered the epitome of activewear but not necessarily “real” fashion. In fact, it found its place right next to camping lights and cooler-boxes.
The brand was always linked to clothing designed predominantly for the outdoor enthusiast – to allow people to be comfortable or cosy on whatever adventure they were embarking on. Style was definitely not at the core of the look.
K-Way turned streetwear didn’t necessarily transition organically. So, when I started noticing some of the Mother City’s streetwear dons rocking the puffy collectibles, I experienced a moment of deep curiosity which led to some fashion investigation.
The shift from activewear to functional fashion is thanks to two counterparts. Generation Z and the K-Way limited edition capsule MMXXI (2021). The collection was introduced by Cape Union Mart in an attempt to navigate K-Way toward an edgier, younger demographic.
As a result, this particular collection has seen streetwear lovers, fashionistas and the original consumer, outdoor enthusiasts, all unite in purchasing the range, giving K-Way a new wave of life.
Why did it manage to gain popularity?
With this collection, the designs were aimed at Generation Z, taking their fashion niche of streetwear as an inspiration, according to Martine Vogelman, the Group Brand Strategic Director at Cape Union Mart.
A lot of streetwear’s appeal is that it embodies comfort made fashionable. Baggy, soft pieces that can still make a statement without the restrictions of high fashion is what it’s all about. Streetwear encompasses a lot of athleisure too, and so K-Way was able to draw on these elements for the collection.
Athleisure is a term used widely by the New York-based fashion industry. It encompasses a category of clothing meant to look athletic, but with no inherent technical function.
However, K-Way stepped things up by making their collection fashionable and technically useful.
The capsule is taking up the ‘out leisure’ space. A phrase the K-Way representatives have coined for leisure looking gear that is also designed for outdoor exploration.
Why Gen Z?
Vogelman expresses that Gen Z are a collective of explorers.
“They are constantly on the go, moving, discovering and exploring. They want to be noticed for the ideals they share and the clothes they wear.
“It’s all about building the only new currency that matters- street credibility and culture… thanks to Gen Z, things are changing and changing fast.”
Additionally, with lockdown being eased in the way that it has, more young people are out exploring the world, since, you know, it was locked away from all of us. You never miss a good thing until its gone, right?
So it’s been successful?
It’s been called a “real game-changer” for the brand according to GQ South Africa.
Picture: K-Way Facebook