A Conversation with Kaimin
Kaimin of the fashion house KAIMIN speaks about the SS20 fashion show and the new denim line.
The ability to successfully take opposing dualities, each with their own unique, fixed characteristics, and combine the two to create something greater than their own individualities is a rare gift. A talent that is quite a notable feat, but Kaimin, creative director of KAIMIN, makes it look effortless.
The Spring/Summer 2020 Introspective Prism collection, held at Studio 525 in Chelsea, brought “fantasy to reality” by pairing the influences of high fashion, structured designs and quality materials, with the grunge and nonchalance of street-wear. Light and dark tones were juxtaposed on the runway with brightly colored pieces atop a moody black background. KAIMIN is typically a female-oriented brand, however, in this collection she mixed masculine and feminine characteristics to create pieces that all people can identify with.
Embracing qualities in contrasting forces is done to epitomize those who wear the clothes. KAIMIN’s clothes are designed for people that exude confidence, embrace the power of femininity, and are not afraid to shock people.
“I love when spectacular, haute couture is in a more normal-life setting, which is often unexpected, but when done in an unforced way it’s a beautiful contrast, a true testament to self-expression, and I’d like that to be more accepted,” said Kaimin. “If one is sufficiently self-aware and doesn’t take things too seriously, wearing even the most extravagant of KAIMIN pieces will further empower and enliven them.”
The list of influential people who have worn KAIMIN pieces is lengthy, but some notable mentions are Nicki Minaj, Bjork, and Lady Gaga—three women who radiate powerful, unabashed conviction in their style and talent. But if Kaimin had to design a look for one person, living or dead, it would be Prince – which comes as no surprise. He was able to take dramatic looks and wear them in the normal, common settings.
And KAIMIN has taken the idea of taking common pieces and turning them into a work of art a step further. She utilized 3D technology to enhance a capsule collection of denim titled Stratasys x SLFF KAIMIN. Kaimin explains that she has always been fascinated by what is waiting in the distant future and how this relates to her desire to create this line of denim.
“We’re already living in today so it’s a lot more fun to design for tomorrow,” Kaimin said. “The world is changing rapidly, with digital technology taking over all aspects of human life, and I’d like to be part of this change and not just focus on fashion necessarily but include new ideas and lifestyle changes to better connect with and expand my community and our values.”
However, Kaimin is used to working with technology as her brand was “born out of a digital-heavy project and grew up almost entirely online” beginning in 2016. KAIMIN deeply respects innovations in technology the partnership with Stratsys, a 3D printing company and “pioneers in the additive manufacturing space” (as Kaimin warmly describes them) was a perfect match.
The denim collection features designs that push the boundaries including cut-outs in the upper thigh area that extends from front to back. There is also a design that shows off the leg’s natural shape by tightening certain areas with what looks like duct tape.
As advancements in the realm of fashion coupled with technology continue to expand, Kaimin also likes to pay homage to the creative environment.
“People’s unprecedented ability to communicate who they are has opened up new frontiers. In only a few years, social media exposed how varied yet similar and interconnected different cultures’ tastes are, and how people of all walks of life can become influential by traversing these different planes,” said Kaimin. “Being skilled in multiple areas has become the norm for many young creatives today and this polymathic affects fashion a lot. There are so many cross-functional innovators out there and fashion definitely benefits from this, becoming more interesting and multifaceted.”
And in accordance with that forward-thinking vision, when asked where Kaimin thought the brand would be in five to 10 years, she expressed a desire for further innovation and collaboration with other creatives.
“We want to be more cross-functional and would love to do more than just fashion, even if it’s in a more non-permanent format like seasonal collaborations,” said Kaimin. “I just wish to meet and inspire more people and to learn from them so we can all come up with a never-before-seen symbiosis of unlikely fields that not only is cool but also could change lives for the better and bring signature KAIMIN flavor to people in more than one way.”
