When London-based Kitri burst onto the sartorial scene last year, there was rightfully a whoop of joy from fashion obsessives, editors and street stylers alike. Offering well-made contemporary and directorial pieces at a mid-range price point, it filled the gap between luxury and fast fashion. No longer having to compromise on the quality of their wardrobe, but also waving goodbye to extortionate prices that were reserved for a tiny demographic, the brand's fanbase has grown exponentially since its founding in 2017.
It comes as no surprise then, that one of Kitri's dresses has caused quite the stir. The Gabriella Pleated Shirt Dress, a soft green belted midi with a white and black flower print, first garnered attention back in February when Charlotte Groenveld of The Fashion Guitar was spotted wearing it on the streets of London at Fashion Week. The post accumulated 5,000 likes and customer demand for the dress grew as people registered for an email notification when the dress would be available to purchase.
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By the time the dress was in stock, the waiting list had grown to over 800 people, and of course, sold out almost immediately. Some sizes went in mere minutes, while the entire offering was gone in under an hour (45 minutes to be precise).
"It was incredible to see the Gabriella dress sell out within an hour!" Haeni Kim, Kitri founder and creative director, said. "We’re so pleased with the reaction to the dress and wish we had more for our customers who weren’t quick enough to get their hands on the dress – we hate to disappoint our customers. We hope to restock soon."
So, what's the appeal of the dress? "I think it’s the ultimate spring dress," Charlotte Groeneveld says. "The right colours, the right style and length, and easy to style from office to evening." The midi dress has ruled supreme for some time, as has a floral print, but as Groeneveld points out, it's the pleated and belted details that make it as easy to wear in the office as a Sunday pub trip. We're styling ours over a rollneck and under a trench coat while the weather's still miserable, and with Birkenstocks and sunnies come sunnier days.
While Gabriella is still out of stock, Kitri has assured Refinery29 that it'll be back in stock VERY soon, so keep checking the brand's site. On your marks...