Designer Kevin Kirksey is on a mission to become the first to redesign the polo shirt and first African American with his own leisure sports design. He calls the shirt “the Kevin Kirksey Double Collar Shirt.”
Designed for comfort and durability, the shirt has several distinct features. But the most unique feature is the double collar for which the shirt is named.
“I created the Kevin Kirksey Double Collar to be an original shirt,” Kirksey explained. “I looked at the original Lacoste Polo design and I wanted to create a collar that would lay down without being able to curl up.”
Cut at a particular acute angle, each collar has been sewn with a particular stitching technology.
“The collar lays down whether you iron it, starch it or dry clean it. It won’t roll up like the normal standard polo collar does,” he continued.
Another unique feature is the pleat along the back of the shirt, which he said adds to the shirts comfort and movability, compared to the polo shirt.
“The back has a ‘V’ in the pleat material, it allows for the comfort and flexibility in the back,” he said, explaining that many times golfers and tennis players wear their shirts in their slacks. But when they swing, the shirt pops out. “Normally when you put those on they have very little to no give. So in doing that I wanted it to be an original new design.”
For Kirksey, the concept was not born overnight. He said it took about three or four days – staying up late at night. During that time, he went through close to 500 sheets of artwork – shredding and trashing each one – until he created the design that encompassed the elements of his concept.
Along with perfecting the design, he also had the challenge of choosing a fabric. He stated that he uses several types of fabric, including 100 percent cotton and double knit. But his preference is to use vertically ribbed cotton.
“Most of what I do use – and has not been used in the industry – is called ribbed cotton. It’s something new. I had to prove that it worked and that it was a worthy design once you made the shirt. It was durable, washable and unshrinkable,” he explained.
“So we’re going to introduce the majority of the cotton shirt, which the Lacoste Polo industry doesn’t use at all. That something new that we designed that is going to be new to the industry. We believe it’s going to be phenomenal.”
Kirksey further explained that his design isn’t going to be another copy of the polo shirt, but rather a full reimagined luxury casual sports shirt. To ensure his creation is set apart from the rest, he designed a diamond-shaped logo that would clearly identify his brand.
“My logo is the picture of a creative lion, where it means, ‘A step above.’ The lion is respected, he’s classy and he’s unique, he’s protective and he’s a leader,” he said proudly. “Those characteristics of the lion represent everything in my brand. All of my designs are unique and a game changer.”
Though the shirts are designed with the golfer and tennis player in mind, Kirksey stated that they could be worn for any leisure sport, as a uniform or as everyday street wear. The shirts are made in a variety of colors for men in sizes small to 6X, women in sizes 0 to 26 and children in small to extra large.
Furthermore, he has designed shirts for the Greek fraternities and sororities using their colors and symbols, which will be included in his look book. And for every shirt purchased, he donates a portion to scholarships, domestic violence assistance and cancer organizations.
He has also designed shirts to benefit cancer awareness and treatment.
“We sold our first pink and white shirts in my design out of four new structured shirts,” he said. “The goal will be to partner with cancer organizations. Part of the goal is that as the shirts are sold, that money will go to cancer organizations.”
Kirksey’s shirts can be purchased at http://www.kevinkirksey.com. He said so far he has had a phenomenal response from golfers, tennis players and other athletes.
Until recently, most of his exposure has been through showing his shirts at fashion shows. In August, his staff completed its first magazine cover and launched an electronic look book and online magazine. Kirksey’s team also initiated a crowdfunding campaign using live radio and Lee Moss Media, a Black national marketing company.
With the exposure, he also hopes to introduce his initiative, Black Women are a Priority, an effort to uplift family unity.
“We’re pushing the brand to get men involved in every aspect to let our women know –young ladies and young boys know – that every woman is a priority,” he said. “And it is important with all of the violence and all the abuse, unfair rights with employment and other rights that woman are fighting for in this election. And what better than the men stand up and take a stand to let women know they are important? They are a priority.”
Kirksey said he’s hoping to reach women from all walks of life, but especially single women who are raising children without a father or a male role model. He stated that – as a man with a mother, aunts and nieces, friends, church members – if men will take time to say to a woman, “Hey, I love you. You’re a priority. You’re important,” it would uplift and encourage her.
“Some woman may be discriminated against because of color or weight. And it’s important for the men to step up and take more responsibility to let our women know in every situation, no matter how we’re related to them, let them know they are important and they are a priority,” Kirksey said.
He hopes that as his message catches on, he will host events locally, as well as in three other major cities across the country, to celebrate women and donate the proceeds to the three causes he’s passionate about. He also hopes to engage the male-based NFL and other leagues to do more to support woman through his initiative.
Source:
http://dallasexaminer.com/news/2016/oct/31/kevin-kirksey-redesigning-casual-sports-shirt/
