AP – The Franco-Italian active wear brand K-Way imported a bit of its Parisian birthplace as the backdrop to showcase a new collection as it charts a transition to a lifestyle brand.
K-Way’s trademark packable raincoats were inspired when brand founder Leon-Claude Duhamel spied two children wearing red Nylon raincoats while sitting at the Cafe de la Paix on a rainy day in 1965. To honour that heritage, the Italian owners borrowed original cafe tables and wicker seating from the Parisian landmark.
Sales vice president Lorenzo Boglione, whose family controls the BasicNet parent company, is helping the company navigate the brand’s transition, with plans to produce technical gear for sailing and skiing.
“We really want to remember where we come from and celebrate that moment. We have to remember where we come from to know where to go,” Boglione said. “We want to be colourful, we want to be functional, we want to be modern.”
That means not just focussing on outwear. The new collection included cropped puffer jackets in tight accordion pleats, Yeti-style short coats with matching boots that layer over slim body suits or quilted short-shorts and tops. Long puffer coats, including as enveloping as a sleeping bag, paired with detachable hoods or furry collars.
The brand’s distinctive zipper acts as a logo, providing accents along with function. The colour palate hewed toward K-Way’s traditional orange and blue, with some white and green.
