Jumpsuits, knits, denim and travel: kikki.K has entered its fashion era

After 26 years anchored in stationery, kikki.K is setting sail, both literally and figuratively.

I love nothing more than a stationery reset. Going into a new year or starting a semester with a fresh planner, a new set of pens, and an array of notebooks fanned on my desk has the power to make me feel born again.

During my school years, I’d always begin this ritual by scanning the aisles of kikki.K. An aspirational, organisational dreamscape full of nice fonts, pastel hues and neatly stacked essentials, it tickled my inner Type A.

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Yet after 26 years anchored mostly in pen and paper, kikki K. is setting sail on a new course. Having cemented itself as the penultimate reference point for desk-bound essentials, the Australian brand is expanding beyond its original remit.

Leading the evolution is creative director Lisa Gorman, a fashion industry veteran who founded the label Gorman before departing in 2021 after 20 years at the helm. In a shift that’s been building since 2023 under her direction, kikki.K is now in full rebrand mode.

“We’re looking at kikki.K now, not just through a stationery lens but through a lifestyle lens,” she tells me. “As the evolution occurs, you have to really understand what your brand is. Where does it sit, who is your customer, what are you offering?”

When stepping into the role, Lisa’s primary focus was to recalibrate stationery first, ensuring its survival in a digital-first world. From there, the expansion unfolded naturally: into travel, into carry, into TREK. and eventually, into clothing.

Though it may come as a surprise, the shift isn’t as unlikely as it appears. Organisation, after all, doesn’t end at the desk.

Set sail

The brand’s new direction is best encapsulated in its latest collection, ‘Par Avion’ – French for ‘by airmail’. The phrase itself conjures movement, drawing on the iconography of red stamps, vintage postcards, transit lounges and plane tickets. “It’s quite a meaningful departure, like setting sail,” Lisa adds.

One way this takes shape is (naturally) through luggage. Under the expanding category, you’ll find an evolving range of suitcases, passport wallets, luggage tags and toiletry bags. 

Though luggage often brings to mind long-haul flights (something its 110L case is perfect for), it’s just as suited to small, day-to-day errands. Take the carry-on case with a built-in laptop pocket – a staple for a red-eye flight between cities, or a mobile wardrobe for a stylist moving between sets.

Just like the brand’s stationery collections have always done, each piece in the travel range is designed to be mixed. “The idea is to allow people to celebrate their own personality through building their own,” Lisa says. The colour-conscious among us can opt for a monochrome look, matching a plum suitcase to a tote, while the dopamine dressers can embrace the full rainbow.

The TREK. range expands on this, adding an almost urban spin. Balancing performance with aesthetics, the collection includes cross-body and water bottle bags, the option of either rope or webbing straps and additional add-ons, like clip-on pouches and wrist straps. It’s a build-your-own-adventure that you can use for a day spent in the inner city or a hike through the mountains.

Get dressed

In a way, clothing completes the arc. Although capsule collections can feel inherently monotonous, the latest range features utilitarian cuts infused with personality and colour.

Lisa has relaxed the rules, playing with the kikki.K logo and font, adding patches, stamps, ruffles and other small details, almost as an in-joke between her and the wearer. 

The cotton Marine Jumpsuit has been reissued in primary shades, including poppy red, marine blue and butter, while its matching jeans and jackets also come in light and dark shades of indigo. Paired with striped tops, skirts, cable knit sweaters and quilted jackets, the idea is to balance practicality with fun.

The appeal of analogue

A throughline in the brand’s pillars – stationery, lifestyle and travel – is a call to lean into the analogue. Though kikki.K isn’t ignoring the digital (they do make laptop cases), it celebrates the nostalgia of travel, movement and adventure.

Though you’ll likely start researching a trip online, your next step might be to bust out a travel journal and handwrite your route. And if you’re anything like me, it might scratch a creative itch to match a bright red carry bag to your suitcase. Or to use an actual lock-and-key journal for your morning pages.

Nothing here ends in ‘core’. There’s no pressure to style it in a certain way or follow any prescribed rules. Like cutting and pasting a collage, it’s about piecing together colours and patterns to suit your personal preference.

Every piece has been designed to add both organisation and fun into your day-to-day, meeting you where you are, and where you’re going. 

To explore kikki.K’s Par Avion collection, head here.