Abercrombie & Fitch Goes Western With Kemo Sabe Brand Collaboration

While the brand collaboration can be traced back to 1924 when Château Mouton Rothschild commissioned Jean Carlu to design a wine bottle label, the modern-day collaboration which merged when Nike teamed up with Commes Des Garcons, hit a pivotal moment when H&M released its first designer collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld. Since then, the mutual benefit that mass audience brands and specialty luxury brands can garner from one another is undeniable.

Such is the case with a new partnership between Abercrombie & Fitch and Kemo Sabe, the cult-status luxury Western-centric accessories and outwear store that was founded in Aspen, CO. in 1990. The offering Abercrombie X Kemo Sabe offering, which features twelve women’s clothing styles and three accessories’ styles will launch October 30^th on online at Abercrombie.com and all stores globally November 6^th. The collection debuted in Manhattan a few weeks in advance to press at a presentation held at Common Country bar where Corey Robinson, chief product officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and Wendy Kunkle, President and Owner of Kemo Sabe were on hand to discuss the unique pair up.

According to Robinson, the partnership had organic beginnings. “A few summers ago, my family and I visited Kemo Sabe on vacation in Aspen. I’d been a fan for a few years. I was buying turquoise bracelet, and I met Wendy and our energy just clicked. She made my husband a hat and the kids got them too,” Robinson recalled.

Shortly after Abercrombie & Fitch Co. CEO Fran Horowitz had visited the Park City, UT. “She immediately texted me to ask if I knew the brand to which I replied, ‘I love it and know the owner,’” Robinson continued. The CEO agreed and the partnership was formalized in March.

“We have not done a true collaboration with a brand in a very, very, very long time. So, we’re going to be thoughtful about who we do this with, since this is not something we do often,” Robinson explained.

“Our customers are in 20s/30s, and they love Kemo Sabe and it has become a destination to buy a hat. Others will discover Kemo Sabe, a luxury brand, at relatively accessible price points,” Robinson said.

That said, for A&F it’s an elevated range with the limited-edition collection ranging from $50 to $500 for a natural leather jacket. It will be limited-edition and in select stores

“Typically, we offer vegan leather, and this is the first true leather jacket we have done in a while. It’s a higher price point for the A&F customer but still attainable,” Robinson noted. While A & F is known common as a ‘fleece’ brand some of the other best-sellers in the brand are dresses and denim which the collection offers. The latter will be available in both classic and Curve love cuts and product details such as authentic-finish studding, traditional ‘bug and wrinkle’ inspired stitching and embroidery. Though in just the right amount.

“I am not a big fan of too much embroidery. I want to have that dress for the rest of my life in my closet. I don’t want it to be out of style next year,” said Kurkle. The partnership marks the brand’s first global retail project.

With Kemo Sabe, A&F formed a true working partnership to create the product and the identity, working hand in hand to create what made sense. “What I’ve loved about working with Wendy is that she had a strong point of view from the beginning. There were some things where she was like, ‘Nope, we’re not doing that. It’s better work with a partner that has such a strong point of view is actually as a brand, it feels more authentic with having the handwriting of both brands on it,”

“We’re high-end luxury western store, but when I say western, that’s a tricky word. Our brand aesthetic is fashion western than cowboy-inspired wear,” Kurkle continued. The Kemo Sabe customer is usually based in places such as Chicago, New York and Dallas ‘where they don’t actually dress in typical western styles.’ Her stores are located in Aspen, Vail, Park City, Utah, Round Top, Texas and Jackson Hole and Whitefish, both in Montana. In 2024 the brand did a pop up in New York City.

“We want this style to be accessible to people that wouldn’t normally wear it in the city, but now they do because we’ve introduced a higher-end version of Western that’s wearable, timeless and super classic,” she added noting that the Kemo Sabe customer is now looking at Abercrombie & Fitch for the first time in a while.

According to Robinson the collection will be in key locations such as Flatiron and Greenwich Avenue in New York and Lincoln Park in Chicago, Newbury Street in Boston, Westfield Century City in LA and Oxford Street in London. Robinson noted that the brand has moved away from the flagship prestige real estate strategy and meets the customer where they are at.

Kurkle was drawn to the brand’s 130-year -old legacy. “That Abercrombie is American owned was unbelievable to me. Our factories are all in the states as well, and I just loved that heritage about them. I loved the people on their team and it’s a woman-led company. They used to be a hunting store and we’re from the West,” Kurkle enthused.

They also have another big thing in common. Each is infamous for having lines out the door. Kurkle lays it out this way. “We create a shopping experience that is pure joy at Kemo Sabe. Our goal is everybody should feel excitement when they come into our store. We serve free drinks; you can relax and meet amazing people. It’s crammed with people, dancing and yelling and it’s a lot of fun. We have lines out the door, people can wait 45 minutes to get in.”

Or they can hit up A&F for their next Kemo Sabe staples.