An Irrational Element

  Stockist’s Digest | Kai D. Utility

From Collection 001 An Irrational Element has focused distributing its products through curated stockists worldwide. Coming from a retail background I’ve always been fascinated by retailers curating a selection of goods from multiple makers and creating their own universe by doing so. Whilst many brands and makers have their own universe it could be considered an art form to take fragments from these universes and create a whole new experience. In Stockist’s Digest An Irrational Element’s retail partners will be featured through the eye of An Irrational Element. As the An Irrational Element partners are dispersed globally the format through which a retailer is highlighted may differ.

Back in 2017 I developed my first item based on a ‘largeot’ from the 1920’s. This became the ‘Karl Trouser’ and where the largeot was extremely wide for today’s standards and just did not have a modern fit as per An Irrational Element’s vision the Karl Trouser felt as a contemporary translation. I had no prior design or business experience and learned by doing. One of the first steps was to reach out to potential retail partners via email with a small look book & spec sheet. During my sales period I received a mail by Kai D. Fan who owns and operates his store in Brooklyn named Kai D. Utility while also having his own brand under the same name. Kai was interested in stocking the trouser for his store and I got my first ever retail order in.

From the first day of An Irrational Element I wanted to work towards creating collections and items that could be interpreted by the wearer and retail partners in their own distinctive manners. I feel that Kai does exactly that and fits in the items from the An Irrational Element collection to match his store and audience. Kai seeks out the right styles and also has a focus on materials. For the warmer periods there is a range of items made from ramie whilst the colder periods tend to heavy cottons in different finishes like heavy twills, moleskins and more.

Although Kai and I have worked together for some years we have never had the opportunity to meet. Kai does most of his work himself which made meeting in Paris for the bi-annual fashion weeks not possible. So this October I traveled to NYC and went to meet Kai and see his store with my own eyes. The store is a distinctive place that feels like a treasury of quality goods. Entering the store means entering Kai’s world, the styling I have seen online is even more evident throughout the store. In this feature you are presented to a glimpse of Kai D. Utility through my lens. That being said I would suggest to visit Kai D. Utility’s brick & mortar store if you have the chance to view it through your own lens and if you are unable to do so the Kai D Utility online presence also does the job.

Kai D. Utility - Instagram

Kai D. Utility - Pinterest