Introducing the newest member of the KAD style fam, the AGNES PONCHO!

Named for the wonderful french/polish film-maker Agnes Varda- please google her and check out her work! Also her incredible hairstyle!!

I am so very excited for this new style, the Agnes. Agnes is one of those inside/outside all season pieces that brightens up a jeans and tee situation effortlessly.

Agnes is made from a cotton twill- heavy enough to be a light jacket or a top layer over any outfit. This cotton is soooo soft- it feels great right next to your skin.

With a big front kangaroo pouch type pocket, there’s place to warm your hands or stash your phone.

The collar brings really great interest to this piece. It’s a wide open turtleneck- it stands up when buttoned so your neck is covered and the profile is super chic and cozy. The mother-of-pearl buttons are off to one side, so when opened it has this great asymmetry that just looks amazing and is also a fabulous profile!

One of the inspirations for the shape of this poncho was a project I worked on years ago when I first started designing textiles. My studio was in an old church building and the minister of the small Anglican Church adjascent was quite active in the community. I’m a pretty hardcore non-believer and I have pretty much zero time for organized religion (especially in Canada their track record and role in residential schools) BUT the church minister Stephen was very progressive and such a jolly gay man and we hit it off right away. So when he asked me to design a couple of chasubles for him I decided to go for it. I was also inspired to do it by some incredible pieces by Matisse I’d seen in Nice a few years before- so beautiful!! I created two bespoke pieces for this lovely dude and they looked AMAZING on him!!!

I’ve always thought how much I loved the hang of this garment- obviously the length is impractical, but the general shape has been hanging out in my head for a while. When Agnes came along I realized she’s definitely related to those chasubles- a secular, more every day wearable iteration of this shape!

Another inspo for the Agnes was definitely my months spent in the dog park when Gracie was a puppy getting socialized. It was early in the morning and you just need something you can throw on over your PJs or whatever you have on… something easy that will protect you from the elements and the muddy paws too! The fashion at the dog park was always very disappointing… so drab! I think it’s partly because people are nervous to get mud on a colourful coat- I get it, but even on a drab coat you’ll be washing off the mud and truly it’s just more fun to wear something fun/colourful/joyful… but it is hard to find colourful practical natural organic outerwear- hence the Agnes was created and truly I cant wait to take her out to the dog park one of these mornings!!!