This article was originally published on Boss Hunting and written by Randy Lai.
When was the last time you properly considered your trousers? All too often the most neglected element in any sartorial get-up, it can be notoriously hard to find a well-made pair at a sensible price; with cursory searches across the internet turning up styles that invariably go north of $800. Even in a market inundated by choice, not every category of menswear has benefited equally it would seem.
That’s why we’re excited about Kit Blake: a relatively young menswear label (founded in 2018) that takes the mission of making beautiful tailored trousers to new heights – by pushing a quality product that is timeless and aesthetically pleasing, without compromising on price.
Recently, the brand took to Milan’s weathered cobblestones for the launch of its Winter 2022 lookbook – modelled by professional cool dude and friend of the brand, Giorgio Giangiulio – in order to showcase three of its core trouser models – the ‘Aleks’, ‘Caine’ and ‘Duke’.
Aimed squarely at fellows who’ve had enough of Dior drainpipes or the infamous low-rise skinny jean, all of Kit Blake’s models follow a similar theme: offering a wider trouser leg; timeless fabrics (even the tartan checks are more wearable than you’d at first expect); plus all the detailing you’d expect of a specialist trouser maker.
If the styles are a little more ‘large, and in charge’ than you’re accustomed to, then that is intentional: the initial patterns are developed by designers with background on Savile Row; before all the cutting and sewing processes are carried out in Puglia (at a $300-$400 sticker price that puts brands many times bigger to shame).
Even if you’re only in the market for a single pair of very good charcoal flannels – and Kit Blake certainly have you covered in that regard – it’s worth considering all the small quirks that make each style its own distinctive proposition.
Whereas the ‘Duke’ and ‘Caine’ are ideal options for “nervous pleat wearers” (as the brand cheekily describes them) operating in conservative office environs, the ‘Aleks’ comes out blasting – with a higher rise, quadruple pleats and the punchiest fabrics of the new winter campaign. Different pants for different camps, we guess. Head over to the Kit Blake e-store for a look at the full campaign.
