Hot brand opening pop-ups in hotels

One of the most buzzed-about retail brands is setting up shop — temporarily — in some hip hotels.



Canadian apparel retailer Kit and Ace is opening a a series of pop-ups in collaboration with luxury hotels in major cities across the globe. The pop-up, called “The Carry-on,” will make its debut in April, at the Hotel Zetta in San Francisco (for full listing, see end of article). It will offer a selection of easy-pack, carry-on essentials from Kit and Ace.



The initiative will also have an online component. Digital visitors can access travel-friendly resources, including itineraries of places to visit in each city curated by local influencers, and wardrobe essentials.



“We wanted to create a multi-platform experience that offered the same content online and offline where people could shop travel essentials and explore cities around the world at the same time,” said JJ Wilson, co-founder and head of Brand at Kit and Ace, which was founded in July 2014 by Shannon and JJ Wilson, the wife and son of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson.



The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company is best known for performance wear made from its proprietary “technical cashmere” fabric that can be tossed into a washer and dryer. It will introduce a “technical silk” fabric this spring.



Currently, Kit and Ace operates nearly 60 across North America, Australia, the United Kingdom and Japan, and also has an online presence.



The Carry-on pop-up will take place in succession next month in the following locations:



San Francisco – Hotel Zetta (April 1-3)

Los Angeles – Palihouse West Hollywood (April 8-13)

Melbourne – Art Series, The Olsen (April 11-17)

London – Mondrian London (April 13-20

Sydney – The Old Clare Hotel (April 20-26)

New York – Refinery Hotel (April 28-May 30)