Surprise: Kit and Ace Loves San Francisco More Than New York

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Whether it's to avoid formula retail restrictions or because San Francisco really loves cashmere, Kit and Ace will open a second store in the city at 371 Hayes Street on June 12th. It will be the eighth store for the Vancouver-based brand, but only the third in the States, (in addition to one in Cow Hollow and another in NYC). The company plans to open 50 shops worldwide by the end of the year.

Started by Shannon and JJ Wilson (Lululemon founder Chip Wilson's wife and son), Kit and Ace specializes in tailored shirts and scarves made from Qemir, a washable cashmere blend. The brand offers casual basics that start at $68 for a tank top and go up to $488 for a blanket wrap sweater. (Most of the sweaters are in the $100–$200 range.)

"San Francisco has been a great market for us and we are excited to bring our new location to the vibrant area of Hayes Valley," JJ Wilson says in an official statement. "We're bringing a beautiful space in which customers can access our clothing, but also come away with a deeper sense of our brand. What we offer is far more than apparel; it's an evolved retail experience."

Though JJ doesn't explain what this upcoming experience entails, you can currently sample the Kit and Ace lifestyle at the company's t-shirt shop (3108 Fillmore Street). And whether you buy now or wait until summer, we're betting that your next Kit and Ace piece will pair perfectly with your favorite Lululemon leggings.