The famous New York based lifestyle company, Kith, has collaborated with our very own Queens College (QC) for a Fall 2022 Clothing Collection. The Kinect Foundation which is Kith’s charitable branch, is giving $25,000 endowment each to the QC Foundation and Brooklyn College Foundation and they will also accept profits from the sales to provide money for scholarships for students. The assortment was created with Russel athletic and consists of varsity jackets, crewnecks, tees, sweatpants, and caps including vintage branding of the two CUNY colleges. Prices range from $70 to $995 and most of the collection is sold out, so you better purchase what you want fast! Comedian, Actor, and well-known QC alumnus Jerry Seinfeld did a photoshoot for the collection.
According to QC Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez, “CUNY is always looking for news to secure support and opportunities for our students, and this unique collaboration with Kith, a well known brand for New Yorkers, is just the latest effort. As instrumental parts of their boroughs, Brooklyn college and Queens college are perfect sources of inspiration. We also hope the line encourages Kith customers around the world to learn more about our University’s 175 year long legacy of uplifting countless New Yorkers.”
Kith presented CUNY in February 2021 for this connection, the brand’s first with a university as part of its intentions to partner with famous New York City organizations; prior collections have promoted the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Knicks. The University was a no-brainer, as Kith owner Ronnie Fieg is from Queens and the company’s original store was opened in Brooklyn. The compilation additionally embodies the two institutions’ joint purpose of creating a vessel of various talent towards significant jobs specifically in the creative industry. Students from the two schools were given limited early access to buy from the collection, which is expected to sell out fast, before it is released for everyone else.
Kith collaborated with Seinfeld on the campaign for the company’s fall collection. In fact, in an episode of Jerry’s onymous sitcom, Seinfeld wore a QC t-shirt which encouraged the garment’s design. Seinfeld captioned an instagram post showing the photos, “I was honored to be part of Ronnie’s Fieg’s brilliant idea to do a Kith collection that will benefit CUNY and my alma mater Queens College. Shooting these pics with Ronnie and my friend, photographer, Mark Seliger was just plain fun all day.”
This alliance is the most recent case of the University’s imaginativeness in obtaining funding to accomplish its objective of supplying a low-cost education to all students, allowing them to engage in careers that expand their financial mobility and helping to establish a more diverse labor pool. The action also evolves upon the achievements of Kith and the Kinnect Foundation to boost educational projects that affect the lives of underserved minorities. Kith’s past partnership with the residence of American rapper The Notorious B.I.G comprised of the grant of income to Brooklyn public schools.
Ronnie also worked with his alma mater, Benjamin N. Cardozo High School located in Queens, on an action that included a seminar for students and two tees caused by the school. Attaching this program with Kith’s partnership with CUNY, students from Cardozo high school will be accepted into Brooklyn College and QC as part of a college connection approach which consists of campus tours and admission meetings.
Andreana Panayiotou, a senior who is majoring in psychology, thinks that this collaboration will bring more alumni and students together to have more pride for Queens college and it will bring more students to want to attend the university as well because a popular clothing brand is supporting the school. She wanted to purchase an article of clothing but unfortunately she didn’t because they ran out of products but she is waiting for a restock.
Aniya Northington, a sophomore and a media studies major, thinks that the clothing line looks great and it’s a great idea because it draws more attention and attraction to CUNY as a whole. She really wanted the crew neck, but was not able to get it because it sold out pretty fast. However, she was not a fan of the pricing of the clothing- she didn’t want to pay so much money for a sweater.
