Nikki truly loves everything she designs. Still, she can’t help but pick favorites. For example, I knew her love for the Nelson Blazer and Bryce Sweater immediately, way back in May when we were photographing the Fall collection. These are pieces that fit seamlessly into her wardrobe and with which she enjoys styling, especially during the colder seasons when it’s time to layer. See below how Nikki styles her favorite pieces from KULE Fall 2022.
“The Bryce sweater is a showstopper and, in such a classic pattern, will be your favorite sweater for years to come.” – Nikki
The Bryce Sweater
The Hutton Shirt
Totême Jacket
Isabel Marant Pants
Hereu Shoes
Outfit 3: She layers the new latte-colored Take Out Hoodie with one of her favorite Michael Kors blazers. Dressing with a smile .
“It doesn’t get cooler than wearing hoodies under blazers and coats. It’s very comfortable, too.” – Nikki
The Take Out Hoodie
Isabel Marant Blazer
Raey Pants
New Balance Sneakers
Celine Bag
Outfit 4: No jacket is better for fall than a trench, and Nikki’s worked hard on perfecting KULE’s new updated one. She wears it here with the new cotton V-neck Yale sweater layered over the perfect base: a Modern white tee.
“The Rox is new and improved with a drop shoulder to accommodate chunky sweaters for cold days.” – Nikki
The Rox Trench
The Yale Sweater
The Modern T-Shirt
High Sport Pants
Gucci Loafers
Outfit 5: In a neutral cream/latte/navy, it goes with everything including this collarless Celine jacket and straight-leg Officine Générale jeans (which, by the way, Nikki highly recommends). With a cozy cashmere sweater wrapped around her neck, she’s ready for when it gets cooler in the evening.
“The new stripe tee is one of my favorite of our new colorways because it is a neutral color mix and also super chic with a black, navy, or gray cardigan or jacket.” – Nikki
This week we celebrated the launch of KULE x Bergdorf Goodman’s exclusive limited-edition collection! Bergdorf Goodman (affectionately known as BG to locals) happens to be only five blocks from the KULE office, and the storied retailer holds a special place in Nikki’s heart. As a native New Yorker, BG is a place that has been in her life since she can remember and brings back special memories with her mother as a kid. Two New York City Icons coming together is a match made in… well… NYC !
The collection consists of 13 pieces: women’s, men’s, kid’s, and accessories. It includes the silhouettes and styles for which KULE is known and loved, each featuring Bergdorf Goodman’s lilac and purple color motifs and iconic logos.
Modern T-Shirt
Rugby
Kap
Oversized Sweatshirt
Sweatpants
Mortiz Balaclava
Dress Sock
Kid's Charley T-shirt
Men's Rugby
Men's Raleigh Sweatshirt
Modern Striped T-Shirt
Striped Onesie
Tote
Nikki’s own mother loved BG so much and often took Nikki there when she was a young girl living in NYC. As Nikki said, “The Kule name alongside the Bergdorf Goodman name would have made my parents really proud, but especially my mom who always saw it as the pinnacle of retail.”
NIkki’s mother, Arlene Kule’s Bergdorf Goodman credit card from the 1970’s.
The collaboration was a no-brainer. Bergdorf’s is one of our retail partners in NYC and also has a very kule customer. Those who love KULE also love BG. That, coupled with Nikki’s NYC upbringing and love for and history with the store, we knew this was perfect.
We love this collection so much because, like all KULE collections, it styles perfectly with KULE staples like our button-up shirts, blazers and jackets, cardigans, and stripes of course.
The Hutton Shirt
The Monica Cardigan
The Nelson Blazer
The Rox Trench
The Russell Cardigan
The Hutton Shirt
The Cosmo Jacket
Twinning behind the scenes walking the 5 blocks from the KULE offie over to Bergdorf Goodman
It was shot by photographer Beth Sacca right outside the iconic Bergdorf Goodman store on 5th Avenue. It was modeled by friends of KULE, Alisha Bandsal, and Fred Castelberry. They both happen to look great in lilac .
Most of the collection sold out in 36 hours, but we still have some coveted pieces available in-store or online exclusively at KULE and Bergdorf Goodman. And be sure to sign up for restock notifications
KULE Rockefeller Center 610 5th Avenue New York, NY 10020
Bergdorf Goodman 5th Floor 754 5th Avenue New York, NY 10019
There are many wonderful and talented people we are so proud to see wear KULE. Mei Tao and her husband Darrick Harris, who are longtime friends of the brand, are two of them. Mei has been working with Nikki as our editorial photographer — a visual magician if you will — since the beginning. Her husband Darrick, the Visual Director of Town & Country Magazine, is also incredibly talented. They’re a power couple with great style . Get to know Mei and Darrick a little better and see how they wear their KULE this Fall.
“We’re in Montreal in these photos. I was there for work and D [which is what Mei calls Darrick] came on the weekend to join me for a little fun getaway.” – Mei
Mei and Darrick have been together for 23 years. Darrick is a native New Yorker, born and raised, and Mei was born in China, raised in Brooklyn, and has been in New York since she was 10. The story of how they met? Darrick says, “She stalked me for years,” and Mei says, “He waited for years for me to be single to ask me out.”
As for Mei’s connection to KULE, she’s known Nikki since 2011 and has been with us since. Mei is not only an incredibly talented photographer making magic behind the camera but also somewhat of a brand mascot who styles KULE as her own.
“My go-to outfit is a good pair of pants or jeans, a men’s style shirt, a navy blazer, and a good coat or trench and comfortable shoes.” – Mei
The Nelson Blazer
The Hutton Shirt
The Rox Trench
The Modern Long Tee
The Sinclair Cashmere Cardigan
The Raleigh Sweatshirt
“I’ve been working with KULE since the beginning. It’s been so much fun realizing the brand’s vision with Nikki through photos. I’ve been a big fan since day 1.” – Mei
Mei and Darrick both say they love to travel together and, as Darrick added, “we love to watch foodie shows together.” Speaking of food, they are two people who definitely know where to eat in NYC. Some standout places they recommend include Omen Azen, Aurora Soho, The Odeon, and Big Wong. You’re welcome!
Mei on Darrick’s style: “I’ve been dressing him for 23 years, but he does accessorize himself”
“[Finding time to be together] can be challenging. But as we are in the same business, we are often able to be in the same cities.” – Darrick
“We find the time — I like him.” – Mei
Follow Mei @taomeitao for some of her entertaining content, great style, and photos, and Darrick @delroyslim for his humor, behind-the-scenes of his job, travel, fabulous hats, and adorable family shots. Shop their outfits here.
With the unofficial end of summer behind us, it is full speed ahead into Fall. Here at KULE, we’ve been excited for this season since we photographed the collection and got our first peek into Fall , several months ago. It’s filled with colorful stripes, collegiate knits, and tons of cozy layers. And yes, pasta and corn are on the menu . Read on below for a behind-the-scenes look into the making of KULE Fall.
In characteristically KULE style, we’re knee-deep in stripes this Fall
Before every shoot, we do a “style-out” at our office where Nikki conceptualizes looks to then be perfected on set. We get even more excited about the clothes and ways to wear them, too
The Bryce
The Rox Trench
The Hutton Button-Down Shirt
Miu Miu Loafers
Officine Générale Trouser
Photographer Mei Tao brings the energy on set with our megaphone prop
The set is always carefully considered in our shoots. We choose a location (this one was in Brooklyn) and build the rest from there. This is the backdrop for our pasta-themed group designed by Cecilia Elguero
Model Nadine Ammeraal catching the light in striped silk at our KULE “Trattoria”
The Modern Cacio e Pepe T-Shirt
The Striped Ponza Silk Shirt
The Cacio e Pepe Kap
The Elba Pareo Silk Wrap
Sleeper Shearling Slides
Nikki designed the pink group long before she knew pink would be on the cover of nearly every magazine. This multi-pocket colorblock fleece was a bestseller last Fall, so we brought it back in two different colorways for 2022
The Beanie Fleece Colorblock Jacket
The Modern Striped T-Shirt
The Yale Sweater
The Striped Rugby
The Capucine Cardigan
The Alvise Vest
The Russell Cardigan
The Darcy Vest
The Patch Rugby
The Rugby
The Joey Polo Knit
Models Nadine and Jelixza twinning on set. We loved pairing our models together to show how the same item can look two different ways
Our pink color palette and Nadine’s natural beauty are magnified by Summer Tran and Susie Lee’s makeup
More twinning! This time in checks, which are sprinkled throughout the Fall collection. We love patterns! And here, it’s perfectly paired with our new puffer wrap scarf
Here we style-out another chock-full-o-checker look in the KULE office kitchen (note the fridge)
The socks also come in one of our feature colors for September: Forest Green. They’re styled here with our new jacket, which is a hybrid between a trench and a peacoat and perfect for layering
The Smile and Stripe Knee High Sock
The Smile and Stripe Knee High Sock
The Cosmo Peacoat
The Russell Cardigan
The Patch Rugby
And finally: it’s corn! Nikki used corn as a theme in the Fall collection, coincidentally designed long before the viral Corn Kid.
Corn and checks: I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing
We even scored ajumbo corn stool, seen here in tow on the way to the photoshoot. We actually did a call out on Instagram to see who had one to lend just days before, and the KULE community came through
And if you haven’t seen our Corn video yet… you’re welcome.
The Corny Raleigh Sweatshirt
The Corny Sock
Third Drawer Down Giant Corn Stool
Check out the full KULE Fall collection at KULE.com or any of our three stores to experience it in person.
We recently opened our third store – and the first on the West Coast – at the Montecito Country Mart! We’re excited to bring our signature stripes and smiles to California. In honor of the pop-up, Nikki takes us on a tour of The Mart, showing us her favorite places to shop, eat, and stroll. Read on to see what Nikki saw while setting up shop.
Nikki at the KULE pop-up at Montecito Country Mart
“I’ve always loved Montecito, especially the Montecito Country Mart, which is such a fun local mix of curated boutiques and fabulous food. I’ve been friends with [Country Mart developer] Jim Rosenfield and his wife Heather Rosenfield [owner of Poppy Marché, our new neighbor at the Mart] for a long time. KULE fits in perfectly with the retail community Montecito Country Mart has created.” – Nikki
Jim Rosenfield created Montecito Country Mart, Brentwood Country Mart, and Marin Country Mart. Nikki’s drawn to his aesthetic taste in creating, what she says, is a “shopping experience that feels more like a small village rather than a shopping center.” The curation of brands and restaurants is unique, which makes it a destination for all tourists and locals alike.
Jim Rosenfield in his home in Montecito
The KULE pop-up welcome sign at Montecito Country Mart
Some of Nikki’s favorite shops at the mart include Poppy Marché — founded by Jim’s wife Heather Rosenfield and her business partner, Jenny Belushi — a luxury children’s clothing store that carries the best brands from all over the world (including KULE!).
Heather Rosenfield and Nikki at KULE’s Montecito Country Mart pop-up with their husbands and Heather’s son photo-bombing in the background
Poppy Marché at Montecito Country Mart — Miley and Alex are KULE stripe fans too
Another favorite of Nikki’s is Mate Gallery — founded by Matt Albiani and Ron Brand — which has vintage, textiles, out-of-print books, art, and home goods, all with a New England/East Coast vibe, but in California.
A colorful corner of shorts at Mate Gallery
Nikki found the very kule striped plates of course!
As for food — which Nikki says is a highlight at the mart — there are places you must visit. Her favorite restaurant is Bettina, owned by Rachel Greenspan and Brendan Smith (coincidentally, Rachel was KULE President Jim Kuerschner’s roommate for several years after college!). Nikki’s favorite place for morning coffee and lunch salads is Merci Montecito, created by acclaimed pastry chef Elizabeth Colling. Nikki says to order the cauliflower soup, which she had almost every day during her visit.
A visit to Bettina. Zoom in on that menu
One of Nikki’s favorites at Merci Montecito: the cauliflower soup
Nikki came up with the store concept well before arriving, and Debora Cicchini — who works with Nikki on store designs and displays — sketched it out (which you’ll find on the wall in the shop ). We used Montecito local contractor/surfer Justin Huntsman (of Justin Huntsman Construction), and Nikki went to local antique and thrift stores to decorate the shop.
Nikki at KULE Montecito with knick-knacks on the floor during set up
On the final day of set-up, Kara Love — who heads the entire KULE retail team — lead the unpacking of the new KULE collection with which to fill the shop. Nikki and Debora hung all the knick-knacks and striped artwork by Tracy Morgan (who does prop design for KULE’s photoshoots!), and did the finishing touches. They ended the [very long] day with Negroni Spritzes from Bettina.
A photo Nikki found of LA in the 1970’s at a local Santa Barbara thrift shop
Knick-knacks at the KULE Montecito shop include custom striped art by Tracy Morgan, and a portrait of the founder of Santa Barbara and wooden fish Nikki found at Summerland Antique Collective
Here are some of the KULE items Nikki packed for her week in Montecito:
The Finn
The Baja Featherweight Tee
The Alix of Bohemia Raleigh
The Gingham Wayne Knit Scarf
The Modern White
The Suki Pant
The Louise Cardigan
The Baja Featherweight Tee
The Modern Cream
… along with what she styled them with:
Loewe Woven Basket Bag
Nanushka Sandals
Totême Barrel Jeans
Thierry Lasry Sunglasses
SCHA Bucket Hat
K. Jacques Sandals
Another highlight of her trip was finally meeting Dewey Nicks — photographer, film director, and friend of KULE — in person at the Birnam Wood Montecito Country Club. Nikki also loved visiting Lotusland — a non-profit, 37-acre botanical garden (once owned by the late Madame Ganna Walska) with unique gardens — with Heather Rosenfield. She also had the opportunity to visit Raoul’s Textiles Store in Santa Barbara and meet its founder, Sally McQuillan.
Nikki with Dewey Nicks, both in KULE
Lotusland, Montecito
Sally McQuillan’s studio in Raoul’s Textile Store
Nikki and our entire KULE team are so excited to be at the Montecito Country Mart, and we hope you’ll stop by soon and see this beautiful happy corner of California .
The KULE pop-up at Montecito Country Mart is located at 1014G Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
We’re big fans of cacio e pepe at KULE, hence the Cacio e Pepe tee from our new July capsule. While cacio e pepe is a fairly simple dish (it really only has three ingredients), there’s nothing like a classic that is done perfectly. Just like a tee ! We rounded up our standout spots in NYC to go for the best plate — with Nikki’s own personal favorites — and wanted to share the delicious secrets! So read on, and grab a fork… and a tee .
Nikki’s favorite places to get cacio e pepe are I Sodi and Sant Ambroeus. I Sodi’s cacio e pepe is a classic spaghetti with black pepper and pecorino. A comfort dish made classically perfect. Owner Rita Sodi says it’s her most popular pasta dish. Sant Ambroeus (which has multiple locations, but only some offer cacio e pepe, so check first!) uses a tonnarelli pasta — which is thicker than a spaghetti and has square edges instead of round — great for a perfect coating of aged pecorino romano and fresh ground pepper.
Altro Paradiso is a fan favorite (and a popular place to snap a food pic). Unlike the traditional cacio e pepe preparation, theirs uses giant thick and hollow candele noodles, great for the cheese to get into. You may even need a knife with this dish.
At Piccola Cucina — which has three locations in New York (one of which is dangerously close to KULE’s office) — your pasta comes right to the table in a giant pecorino wheel, from which the server plates for you. So, you know it has a good amount of cacio.
Lupa on Thompson — a NY-famous Roman osteria — is widely known for its cacio e pepe, something you’re basically required to order when you go. It’s made with a thinner “bavette” noodle, so there’s a delightful cacio/pepe to pasta ratio.
Via Carota is a well-known and much loved trattoria in Greenwich Village. Their cacio e pepe dish is piled high with cheese, and they use a tonnarelli noodle. If you can get a table, this is top place for a plate.
The rigatoni cacio e pepe at Charlie Bird seems to only be on the lunch menu (there’s a traditional spaghetti version on the dinner one), but if you’re a cacio e pepe connoisseur, you should head there midday to try it. The flavors cover the grooves and openings of the pasta, making every single bite a treat.
La Pecora Bianca — which has six locations around NYC — uses bucatini noodles with their cacio e pepe. Bucatini is a hollow spaghetti, so it makes hidden nooks of cheese the same way rigatoni does, but with the joyful fork twirl of any long noodle. They also have a cacio e pepe fritter appetizer on their menu, if you want a full course cacio e pepe meal.
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, several months ago. It’s filled with colorful stripes, collegiate knits, and tons of cozy layers. And yes, pasta and corn are on the menu 
. Read on below for a behind-the-scenes look into the making of 
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