A Quintessentially Spring Collection, Hand-Sewn with Love

KULE x Alix of Bohemia’s third limited-run capsule is a marriage between the playful classics of KULE and the handcraft and folk art traditions of Alix of Bohemia. It’s most notably special because each piece is unique, which means you have something distinctly yours. The 5-piece collection — the largest one yet — is marked by flower appliqués that are individually cut and pieced in India, and stitched by hand in Portugal. The collection feels as refreshing as the new season’s blooming flowers, longer days, and warmer temperatures.

The Alix of Bohemia Boyfriend

The Alix of Bohemia Boyfriend

The Alix of Bohemia Raleigh

The Alix of Bohemia Raleigh

The Alix of Bohemia Tank

The Alix of Bohemia Tank

The Alix of Bohemia Short

The Alix of Bohemia Short

The Alix of Bohemia Sock

The Alix of Bohemia Sock

As largest of the three KULE x Alix of Bohemia collections, how you style the pieces — mixing and matching or wearing separately — is up to you. The collection features a heather grey Raleigh sweatshirt, striped Boyfriend tee, Tank, and Shorts, and floral Socks to finish. Our first two collections were loved so much that we expanded it. You can wear the pieces of your choosing through spring and summer, together or separately.

KULE x Alix of Bohemia Spring and Summer 2020 Collections
The KULE x Alix of Bohemia Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 Collections

The connection between the two brands started when Nikki and Alix met for dinner in Mallorca, where Alix was based. The two designers wanted to develop a special product that would incorporate the playful classics of KULE with the handcraft and folk art traditions of Alix of Bohemia.

The daisy motif was inspired by the iconic costumes of Marcel Marceau, as well as the exploded floral motifs of 1970s Marimekko and Ossie Clark. Alix told with me that she came across a poem years ago when she was living in Hong Kong entitled “Falling Flower,” and the visual always stuck with her: the romance of the falling flower, creating a shower of joy in the cycle of the seasons. The rainbow centers are a a playful nod to pop art and bring the poem to life across the capsule. 

This collaboration took over a year during the pandemic, and over 5,000 individual daisies were hand cut, and stitched in India, and then sent to Portugal for attachment. Quite an amazing feat, and a labor of love 🌼 ❤️.

KULE x Alix of Bohemia Spring 2022 Collection
KULE x Alix of Bohemia Spring 2022 collection Raleigh sweatshirt and Shorts

Shop the entire KULE x Alix Bohemia collection here

Who Wants Take Out? The Story Behind KULE’s Happiest Collection

Along with our iconic stripes, the smile has become a core part of KULE’s identity. Smiles have always been a part of Nikki’s collections, dating back to her kid’s collections in the early 2000s. Our latest versions were inspired by that friendly motif on take out food bags, first added to a canvas bag. A bestseller, we’ve grown the collection to include tees, accessories, and most recently sweatshirts and hats. With so many new pieces, Take Out is on the menu for Spring, and that’s something to certainly smile about 🙂.

The Take Out Tote

The Take Out Tote

The Modern Take Out

The Modern Take Out

The Oversized Take Out Hoodie

The Oversized Take Out Hoodie

The Take Out Sock

The Take Out Sock

The Take Out Kap

The Take Out Kap

The Take Out Bucket

The Take Out Bucket

The Raleigh Take Out

The Raleigh Take Out

The Take Out Pouch

The Take Out Pouch

The Take Out Kap

The Take Out Kap

The Take Out Collection started with the canvas bags, tee, and socks, all of which have garnered a large following and fandom, seen below on editors and influencers across Instagram, dressed up or down, worn day or night.

take out bag for KULE 2017 photoshoot
From a KULE photoshoot in 2017

When I asked Nikki “Why take out?” she told me she made KULE’s very first Take Out product on a canvas tote years ago because she thought it was funny to make the infamous take out bag into in a real, re-usable bag. And who doesn’t like take out any and every day of the week? People started to carry it and recognize it, and it soon gained popularity. Next came the best-selling tee and socks, which became favorites, too. KULE’s goal as a brand is to make people smile, and this growing collection of Take Out products does just that. It’s not your average smile though, and is recognizably KULE with a distinct graphic and message printed on quality product for which you know and love the brand 🙂.

Have something to smile about — check out the entire KULE Take Out Collection.

Presenting: KULE’s First Spring Drop

Just when you think the frigid grey days of winter will never end, you feel the first signs of Spring: longer days, milder temperatures. It feels like you’re shedding more than just your giant puffer coat when you step outside in a fresh new knit, no extra layers. To celebrate, we present the early Spring drop. Nikki was inspired by art, design, and, of course, stripes. Read on to get a taste for her recipe 🙂.

Art and design are a key source of inspiration for Nikki, who sent me some works she used as inspiration for this early Spring collection. What you need mid-February is clothing that makes you happy. From color to shape, you can see the joy in art that translates to KULE designs. Literally, with plenty of smiles, even in unexpected places (like elbow placements on a collared knit!)🙂.

Speaking of smiles, with this new drop, KULE has expanded the iconic Take Out collection to more accessories, knits, and even a hoodie and a crewneck sweatshirt. Smiles intertwined with classic clothes, and plenty of stripes, is in KULE’s DNA and comes through in this collection.

The Fellini

The Fellini

The Modern Take Out

The Modern Take Out

The Oversized Take Out Hoodie

The Oversized Take Out Hoodie

The Raleigh Take Out

The Raleigh Take Out

The Take Out Kap

The Take Out Kap

Some of the classic pieces include: The new White/Royal Blue striped shirts (not unlike the colors in Tanya Ling’s 2018 piece Stone Love); The Tatum sweater, a best-selling, chunky 100% cotton sweater perfect worn with jeans all spring or over a tee on a chilly summer night; and the new cable knits (also 100% cotton) — The Paris being short sleeved with a collar and Mirabelle, long-sleeve with a mockneck, both in cream or navy — are elevated, but functional, a pillar of KULE.

Using classic colors in pattern (stripes!), makes an outfit interesting, even nostalgic, as you see with iconic stripe wearers both in fashion and design (think Pablo Picasso or Paul Newman).

The Classic - White/Royal Blue

The Classic – White/Royal Blue

The Tatum

The Tatum

The Mirabelle - Cream

The Mirabelle – Cream

The Paris - Navy

The Paris – Navy

The Lennon - Cream/Navy

The Lennon – Cream/Navy

Left: Pablo Picasso,1954, via Museo Picasso; Right: Paul Newman, via The Gentleman’s Journal

Nikki showed me this interior shot of a Beverly Hills home by designer Billy Cotton via Architectural Digest. It emulates the ideal classic-meets-modern design using vintage elements (such as Tito Angloli chairs from 1889) with art by Laura Owens and Tracey Emin. It’s an airy, but cozy space with happy colors. It looks to the old and the new, not unlike the KULE collection of classic stripes and luxurious materials with a modern twist you’ll keep coming back to.

The Roman - Grain

The Roman – Grain

The Nola - Cream/Navy

The Nola – Cream/Navy

The Syd - Navy

The Syd – Navy

The Paris - Cream

The Paris – Cream

The Boyfriend - White/Royal Blue

The Boyfriend – White/Royal Blue

Beverly Hills home by designer Billy Cotton via Architectural Digest

Check out KULE’s entire first spring drop here.

A Very Kule Guide to NYC Shopping

Shopping in person can be overwhelming, and shopping in New York City is like an endless concrete maze if you don’t know where to go. Lucky for us, Nikki has a list of her favorite spots that will help guide you to the finish line. We will be starting, of course, at the KULE Rockefeller Center Store where there are clothing and accessories to make you smile. We’ll take you to Central Park, Little Italy, SoHo, Tribeca, and Williamsburg. It’s a guide to bookmark, whether you’re looking for a last minute gift, or want to shop for yourself.

We start on Fifth Avenue, at Rockefeller Center with the KULE Store (610 Fifth Avenue). You will find both classic KULE pieces for which you know and love the brand (the bestselling Sinclair cashmere cardigan, striped tees, and the Take Out tee) along with special seasonal items (hearts for Valentine’s Day anyone?).

Walk north a couple of blocks to MoMA Design Store (11 W 53rd Street) where you will find colorful, modern designs from an array of brands. Then, east by Central Park is Bergdorf Goodman (754 Fifth Avenue), which is like a giant specialty store carrying the most unique pieces, from home to accessories, that you won’t find everywhere.

KULE Rockefeller Center Store
The Sinclair

The Sinclair

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Take Out

The Modern Take Out

The Oversized All Over Heart Sweatshirt

The Oversized All Over Heart Sweatshirt

The All Over Heart Medium Tote

The All Over Heart Medium Tote

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Take Out Sock

The Take Out Sock

Nikki likes to shop in stores that are specialty rather than mega-brands so you can find items you won’t see everywhere else. These are stores that have amazingly curated product. Further uptown on the East Side is Ludivine (764 Madison Avenue), a luxury women’s boutique that offers a curated selection of international and domestic designers.

Then swing down to Dover Street Market (160 Lexington Avenue), a showcase of high-end clothing & amazing artistic displays, to find a very special, stand-out piece from a slew of cool designers from around the world.

Downtown in the NoLiTa area is Oroboro (217 Mott Street), a small and delightful womenswear boutique featuring rare & emerging designers you won’t find elsewhere. A few steps down Mott Street is Westerlind (29 Spring Street) which Nikki loves for their cool outdoorsy gear from different brands from around the world. No 6. Store (8 Centre Market Place), sits on a Little Italy side street, and, while No. 6 has garnered a cult following for their handmade shoes (most notably clogs), favorite pieces they sell are from their group of curated vintage and European designers shoes, apparel, and accessories.

Looping over to SoHo’s West Broadway area is What Goes Around Comes Around (103 Wooster Street), which sells an amazing curation of designer pieces. If you’re looking for that ’90s top, chain belt, or baguette bag, this is your place.

Downtown a bit further in TriBeCa, is a store Nikki loves. La Garçonne (465 Greenwich Street) is a loft-like shop where you’ll find many hard-to-find brands that are both classic and ones that are more obscure. Their curation of clothing, accessories, and home goods is thoughtful and unique, all on display in a gallery-like brick-and-mortar space.

La Garçonne photographed by Dean Kaufman/NY Times

And if you’re up for an adventure, Malin Landaeus Vintage (157 N 6th Street) is just over the Williamsburg Bridge. Founder Malin, who is a vintage archive consultant, and her daughter personally select each piece, with a focus on the ’60s and ’80s. You’ll find perfectly raw denim, outerwear, and soft leather boots sourced from France.

You can of course also shop online 24/7 on KULE.com 😉.

A Colorful Cure for the Winter Blues

In the middle of winter, on the coldest, shortest days, many of us have the tendency to go for the simplest, darkest items in our closets. We get it, but it’s actually dressing in color that will lift your mood and energize you for brighter days ahead. You dress your mood, so why not influence your mood with how you dress? Read on for some dressing inspiration — including KULE’s January drop — to put a rare February smile on your face 🌈🙂. 

Styling to Boost Your Mood

Combat your February slump by dressing happy with something like a rainbow sweater or multicolor tee. Think of the colorful item as an automatic caffeine boost, which we think is best paired with something neutral. Try wearing your fresh, vibrant sweater with a pair of neutral trousers, or your joyful tee with dark denim. Your multicolor piece is suddenly as versatile as a neutral one. We tend to think that the most classic look is jeans and a tee, so do that, but with some color.

One of my personal favorite colorful winter styling hacks is wearing your multicolored tee or sweater with neutral pants/jacket, and then coordinating color with accessories (think: orange frames if your tee has orange in it, or a green hat if it has green in it, etc.). Having fun with the colors really unifies an outfit. It’s a winter styling formula that’s easy to switch up with simple accessory swaps.

Of course, if rainbow isn’t your thing, picking a color you love, to work into your wardrobe, is still a winter mood-boost (such as this luxurious berry-striped cashmere sweater 😍).

The Holly - Rainbow

The Holly – Rainbow

The Frankie Shop Trouser

The Frankie Shop Trouser

Fendi Hat

Fendi Hat

The Modern Long - Rainbow

The Modern Long – Rainbow

Khaite Jeans

Khaite Jeans

Another Tomorrow Blazer

Another Tomorrow Blazer

Loewe sunglasses

Loewe sunglasses

Silk Mischa Scarf

Silk Mischa Scarf

The Allegra - Berry/Cream

The Allegra – Berry/Cream

How to Shop for Some Winter Cheer

Choosing colorful pieces that still feel elevated, means choosing pieces that are statement but still chic, vibrant but not noisy, and most importantly, bring you joy, even on the coldest, most dreary winter days. Work some feel-good items into your wardrobe; from statement pieces (our cozy Holly sweater and best-selling rainbow tee, shown above), to accessories with which to finish off an outfit (scarves, jewelry, hats, a belt), from both KULE and other cheerful brands.

The Seever - Rainbow

The Seever – Rainbow

Fry Powers Enamel rings

Fry Powers Enamel rings

The Moritz - Rainbow

The Moritz – Rainbow

Etro Belt

Etro Belt

JIA JIA Gold and Sapphire Necklace

JIA JIA Gold and Sapphire Necklace

Alanui Crotchet Bucket Hat

Alanui Crotchet Bucket Hat

Christian Dior Rainbow Silk Scarf

Christian Dior Rainbow Silk Scarf

Bea Bongiasca Rainbow Diamond, Enamel & 18kt Gold Ring

Bea Bongiasca Rainbow Diamond, Enamel & 18kt Gold Ring

Shop the entire KULE January collection, chock-full of color 🌈 and smiles 🙂 here.

Get Ready for Valentine’s Day: A Shopping List, With Love

Valentine’s Day: the holiday for romantics, a chance to utilize the gift-giving love language, a time to treat yourself to something special because you deserve it and love yourself. There should be no stress around this specific holiday; it should be all about pleasure and joy. I like to think of this holiday as a chance to be on the side of love and, even more so now, embrace the moment with joy. Nikki designed the KULE January collection to be all about love and joy with hearts, rainbows, and plenty of color. And so, as someone who indeed scored extremely high in Gift Giving on the 5 Love Languages Test, I’m here to bring you some guidance with love-gifting — for yourself or someone you love — on this holiday of hearts ❤️.

Be Literal About Love ❤️

I personally like wearing heart-shape pieces or items with hearts on them because 1) they make me think of the person who gave it to me, or the reason I got it and 2) it’s a symbol that tells people around me I care about that warm happy feeling. Love! KULE’s January collection is full of hearts: a cozy oversized sweatshirt that feels like a hug, a striped tee (duh) in a Boyfriend style (a bit oversized) with an embroidered heart, a tote to carry your <3 around with you, or socks which are a little warm reminder for the one you love (or yourself!).

The Oversized All Over Heart Sweatshirt

The Oversized All Over Heart Sweatshirt

The Boyfriend Heart

The Boyfriend Heart

The All Over Heart with Stripe Tote

The All Over Heart with Stripe Tote

The Heart Dress Sock

The Heart Dress Sock

The Oversized All Over Heart Sweatshirt

The Oversized All Over Heart Sweatshirt

The All Over Heart Medium Tote

The All Over Heart Medium Tote

The All Over Heart Pouch

The All Over Heart Pouch

I am personally a big fan of heart-shaped jewelry. From fine to fashion, I think that heart-shaped jewelry is a playful and romantic addition to an outfit, and a gift your partner will, well, love. There is, of course, always Cartier for that 😉.

Stone and Strand Pinky Ring

Stone and Strand Pinky Ring

BONBONWHIMS Heart Huggie Earring

BONBONWHIMS Heart Huggie Earring

Lizzie Fortunato Gemini Sea Heart Necklace

Lizzie Fortunato Gemini Sea Heart Necklace

Wilhelmina Garcia Heart Me 18K Gold-Plated & Enamel Ring

Wilhelmina Garcia Heart Me 18K Gold-Plated & Enamel Ring

Roxanne Assoulin Mad Love

Roxanne Assoulin Mad Love

Wilhelmina Garcia Heart Enamel Pendant Necklace

Wilhelmina Garcia Heart Enamel Pendant Necklace

Roxanne First Hoop Earring

Roxanne First Hoop Earring

Timeless Pearly Heart Ring

Timeless Pearly Heart Ring

Suzanne Kalan 18K Yellow-Gold Heart Ring

Suzanne Kalan 18K Yellow-Gold Heart Ring

The Last Line Gold Heart Hoop

The Last Line Gold Heart Hoop

Gifts that Make You Feel the Love

While I want all the hearts in the world, I also love receiving (and giving) a gift that comes with so much thought and makes your partner really feel understood. Be that with a special cashmere sweater (with a note inside the pocket), a book of photographs celebrating the city you met in (aww), a new wallet with a photo of you two lovingly inside (a great men’s one here), a keychain for everyday reminders, a vase with flowers already nestled inside. A favorite idea if you’re ok with being aware of each other’s gifts: matching sneakers as a subtle sign of your companionship 😍.

The Sinclair Cashmere Cardigan

The Sinclair Cashmere Cardigan

Only in New York by The Photography Staff of the NY Times

Only in New York by The Photography Staff of the NY Times

Prada Small Saffiano Leather Wallet

Prada Small Saffiano Leather Wallet

Laura Lombardi Key Ring

Laura Lombardi Key Ring

Anissa Kermiche 'Bottom of my Heart' Vase

Anissa Kermiche 'Bottom of my Heart' Vase

New Balance Sneakers

New Balance Sneakers

Salvatore Ferragamo Revival Leather Wallet

Salvatore Ferragamo Revival Leather Wallet

Montblanc Key Ring

Montblanc Key Ring

Enzo Mari Vase

Enzo Mari Vase

The Thought that Really Counts

The best and most loving gift, to me, is a card with a thoughtful and honest message. And I am someone that reallllllly loves clothing and jewelry. So don’t skimp on the thought! Whether that’s with a bouquet of flowers, a card alongside your gift, a handmade photo album of moments together, a playlist meant for your partner, your partner’s favorite baked treat, or a romantic dinner where there are no phones in sight, just a shared bowl of Cacio e Pepe. Speaking of which, if you want to share a bowl of pasta with the one you love, consumed Lady and the Tramp style, Nikki recommends I Sodi, Sant Ambroeus, and Mezzaluna (specifically Mezzaluna’s linguine alle vongole, which she says is the best) for you pasta-loving romantics of New York City.

More to love? Check out what’s new at KULE ❤️.