FN highlighted Kith founder, CEO and creative director Ronnie Fieg for its October cover. In an exclusive conversation, the retail visionary discussed what’s next, including venturing into hospitality, further global expansion and more. Below is a look at his company’s approach to community engagement.
After spending more than a decade building Kith, Ronnie Fieg is looking to impact the lives of others through his philanthropic arm, the Kinnect Foundation, which launched in 2021 and is led by Kith’s chief impact officer, Sharifa Murdock.
“Ronnie approached me with a desire to invest in the communities that have supported his business from the start. Once the brand had a big enough platform, he felt he was in a position to create an impact beyond what Kith had been known for until that point,” Murdock told FN. “I could see that there was work already being done, but it needed to be formalized and have a strategy behind it to reach its full potential. This became the basis for the work that had to be done.”
Kinnect was created with three central pillars: education, community and social impact.
Although all are important, Murdock said the most emphasis has been placed on education. “The academic landscape is not what it used to be, and more than ever, the youth need a playbook of 21st century learning to be competitive,” she said. “We make sure that our Scholars Program curriculum includes knowledge you won’t be exposed to in a traditional classroom.”
The community-focused effort is young, however Kinnect has already made significant strides. For instance, it has donated more than $1 million to various causes, between financial and in-kind donations. It has worked with several nonprofit partners, including I Support The Girls, It’s From The Sole, The Center, The New York Belles and Drum Major Institute.
“We seek to establish a real, tangible relationship, with the people behind each cause. This makes for stronger bonds, deeper impact and a way to really see the work,” Murdock said. “The way we work with each partner varies. Money makes the world go round, so a financial commitment is always on the table, but wherever we can, from our time to our manpower, we also like to get our hands dirty.”
Also, the foundation has advanced its first cohort of mentees through its annual Kinnect Scholars Program curriculum. “There is so much talent out there, but access can be so limited,” Murdock said of the Kinnect Scholars Program’s impact. “You can’t have a seat at the table if you’re not in the room.”
And Kith employees are invested. The Kinnect team confirmed more than 100 employees have already participated in giveback moments since its inception.
Aside from Murdock, Kith has assembled a team tasked with shaping those efforts. It includes Kinnect Foundation director Emily Ades; Alani Noelle, community and content lead; Francess Henry, senior coordinator for Kith and Kinnect; and Sabrina Lee, executive assistant to the chief impact officer.
Henry’s experience at Kith extends back to 2016, which provided a strong perspective to plot Kinnect’s roadmap. “I started seeing where the community’s need for support and the company’s desire to do good would intersect,” said Henry. “Drawing those connections became the starting point for my own role to take on a focus beyond the Kith brand. And having one foot in each bucket helps keep us aligned with our values as a brand as well as a nonprofit.”
