Kiro by Kim

Unique & Luxurious chunky handknits

KIM CHEN - DESIGNER AND FOUNDER OF KIRO BY KIM

Kiro by Kim began as a hobby and developed into one of the Netherlands and Europe’s most unique brands. It all started when Kim Chen, founder of Kiro by Kim, began to knit big scarfs in all kinds of bold colours. And people started to notice. The orders slowly poured in and she would bring her tips from work to the wool store directly every week. The wool store was like a candy shop to Kim. Soon she was spending all of her free time knitting, more often than not, until deep in the night. Regularly people would tell her to go to stores and find selling points for her knits. And now the Kiro by Kim cardigans, jackets and vests are available in the most beautiful stores in The Netherlands and Belgium. Kim now has a studio outside of the house in Rotterdam and a showroom in Amsterdam. “ Because my kids were tripping over all the knits”, as Kim says.

The key to Kiro by Kim’s success is that Kim follows her passion and her gut feeling in almost everything she does. “I was lucky that my love for my knits was shared by boutique owners and fashion bloggers”, says Kim. But it was not only luck that brought Kim to where she is now, her talent and ambition especially made possible that she is now designer of one of the most unique and beautiful brands in The Netherlands.. and Europe.

Her knits are all handmade and ever so touchable. The cardigans are reversible and can be worn both sides. They have a luxury look and feel and above all, are very comfortable.

“I get comments like, ‘it’s my favorite item’ or ‘I live in it’, all the time. I also have customers that never wore any cardigans until they found Kiro by Kim. They even have a whole collection now! Because I make new combinations in yarn and threads my customers are never bored. I never pay attention to what’s ‘in style’ or to what’s ‘the trend’. I mainly get inspired by nature, flora and fauna. But for example a tile with subtle colours can inspire me too. Combining colours and different types of yarn is the most fun and at the same time most challenging part of my job. The knits are made to be worn for years. That’s why I like to combine different types of yarn and thread. Sometimes with Lurex or furry yarn. In the summer I mostly use thinner mohair yarn, cotton, viscose and even ripped strips of fabric and silk. Knitting with strips of silk is a whole process. I thought of knitting with strips of silk because I wanted to make something sturdy that would look cool. I also knit furry cardigans for customers that don’t like the feel of wool.“

Another thing that makes Kiro by Kim so unique is that customers can order any cardigan in any length or model they want. Stores can order unique pieces custom made to meet the wishes of their clients. They can choose a collection from Kiro by Kim that fits perfectly into their store and style.

Everybody loves to wear something that is handmade. Because you will never find a Kiro by Kim knit that is exactly the same as another you will always have a special item. Some cardigans might look alike, but if you take a closer look, they are different. There is so much of the same already, so much mass production.

And despite the fact that all Kiro by Kim knits are different, you can always recognize a Kiro by Kim knit.