Kith&Kin: 13 Years in Review.

After twelve years of keeping our annual reflections confined to internal team emails and/or drunken“I love you guys…” speeches at holiday parties, it’s finally time to break tradition. Here we are, marking our 13th year in business, and what better moment to launch our first proper “Year in Review”? They say timing is everything, and while we’re fashionably late to the annual review party, there’s no time like our 13th year to start sharing our story.

Not going to sugarcoat it, our 13th year began at a snail’s pace, not unlike those Korean tour groups wandering through Central with their Bakehouse bags. The first six months were heavy on inquiry calls but light on actual design work. But then momentum shifted dramatically, and we’re closing out the year riding a creative wave with an incredible lineup of projects we’re pretty excited to unveil.

Slow comes with a silver lining. Slow allowed us the breathing room to step back, reassess, and fine-tune our processes. It allowed us time to look at who we’re sharing the market with and it allowed us time to strengthen our relationships with the clients (pronounced FRENDS) that stuck with us all these years. All in all Kith&Kin is in a really great place- we are working on projects that genuinely excite us, we get to work with wonderfully imaginative and passionate clients, and we have an amazing team… where a quarter of which are dogs.

Nala Lee — Half of that quarter.

To wrap things up, and to give myself a proper count of what we actually accomplished this year, here’s a peek at the projects we had the honour of working on. This work represents some of our finest yet, and I’m itching to showcase it in all its glory (James is cranking away on our new site as I type this). Massive shout-out to Nicholas, Rico and Belle for absolutely crushing every single project. Slay*.

*This is something they have been saying in the studio and is in no way a part of my own personal vocabulary.

Bakehouse

Four years and counting with Bakehouse, and we’re hoping this partnership never ends. They’re the kind of client every studio dreams of. This year was special as we helped them grow their brand through a full merch collection. Nicholas knocked it out of the park with some killer beverage can designs, while Rico created enough t-shirt designs to rival any retail store. Plus, it means more collaboration with Dustin, which is always a highlight for us.

LOVERAMICS

Speaking of long-term partnerships, this year brought us back to LOVERAMICS! You know you’ve got something special with your clients when your kids spend more time together than you do in meetings. Six years after our initial rebrand, we’re thrilled to revisit our work and help the homeware company continue their evolution. William and his team’s passion for their industry is contagious. It’s inspiring to see how hands-on they are with their brand, expertly implementing our work as they expand globally. Nicholas created some beautiful systems that will help carry the brand into its next chapter.

Panda Inn

First off, endless thanks to our favourite chef May Chow for making this possible. This was one of those ‘pinch yourself’ projects — and honestly, we still do, just to make sure it’s real. Getting a call to work with the family behind Panda Express isn’t your everyday occurrence. It was truly an honour to collaborate with a company so deeply woven into the American cultural fabric.

What started as a workshop and research trip to LA transformed into an eye-opening journey into Chinese American cuisine and culture. After a year of dedicated work, this project holds a special place in our hearts. Special thanks to Rich Phipson and Adam Carlson for creating stunning artwork that brought it all together. There’s so much more to share; stay tuned for the full story when we launch the new site.

Lost Stars

Back on home soil, last year we connected with an incredibly passionate crew and helped launch Mercury Recalls — a vinyl bar and restaurant with a hidden twist. Fast forward to this year, and we’re back with Nattie, Alvis and their team, reimagining their original concept, Lost Stars Live House. Their commitment to local music speaks to our own love of music (shameless plug for our Spotify channel). As they move from their six-year home, we worked together to breathe new life into what it means to champion local indie music. Rico brought an explosion of vibrancy to the identity, and we got to team up with UniteUnit again on the interior, always a highlight for us.

Octo

There’s a certain irony that our watch project took the longest to complete. But then again, that’s the thing about time, you have to spend it in order to make the best of it. Heritage and history projects always hold a special place for us, and OCTO checked every box. Working with SK and his team over the past couple years opened our eyes to Hong Kong’s fascinating horological heritage. The project actually bridged two generations of Kith&Kin design teams, and we’re especially grateful to Jas, who stayed committed to the project even after relocating to NYC.

In and Out the Studio

A lot happened beyond our client work this year too. Like any team, whether fresh faces or veterans, we spent time discovering how to best collaborate and lift each other up. Some standout moments include Nicholas getting his work published in the Tokyo Type Directors Club, Rico designing and launching his own book published at the Hong Kong Book Fair and had his work featured on Design 360, and though it was last year, Ashley taking the stage as a guest speaker at Book Lab Programme by WMA and HART.

I’m incredibly grateful to wrap up the year on such a high note. I'm very proud of the team and the work we’ve done together, and I'm very excited about all the amazing projects we are working on and have lined up for next year. These past 13 years have taught us so much, and we’re still learning. But for now, here are 10 values we’ll be carrying forward into the next 13:

1. Our clients are people, not businesses.
2. Every problem has a solution, eventually.
3. Ideas are nothing without action.
4. Quantity until quality
5. Character > Talent > Qualifications.
6. Inspiration comes from understanding.
7. Collaboration beats competition. Every. Single. Time.
8. There’s a time for knowing and a time for feeling. Understanding that leads to great design.
9. Always pull on the string of ‘What if…’
10. People first, design follows.

Have a wonderful new year.
-Rocky