Who doesn’t love a chance to dress up pretty, drink beautifully crafted cocktails, and strut around on a Wednesday night?! Last week, my friend Annie and I got to do just that – we ditched our boring mid-week routine and dressed to the nines for the Kit and Ace store launch party at Rice Village.

If you haven’t heard of the brand yet, it’s probably because they’re new on the scene! Kit and Ace is a designer of luxury apparel and accessories that are comfortable, functional, but also stunningly beautiful. The founders are the wife and son of the man who founded Lululemon, and their mission is to fill the stylish yet comfortable void in the fashion markets. As a longtime lover of all things Lulu, I was intrigued.

We got to the Kit and Ace party fashionably late, walking up to the bouncers standing outside the brightly lit store like we were like all the other socialite fashionistas inside. The inside of the store felt a little bit like a Lululemon, actually, but instead of having athletic gear and bright colors, Kit and Ace is filled with white walls, copper accents, art made out of paper, and soft, neutral-colored clothing. The right side of the store had women’s coats, pants, shirts, and tank tops while the left wall of the store was covered by men’s shirts, pants, vests, and sweaters. Since it was a launch party, this event also featured a DJ, cocktail bar, and delicious treats.

Annie and I both tried the El Diablo from the open bar – a mouthwatering drink comprised of cream de cassis, ginger beer, and tequila, all topped off with a lime wedge. We couldn’t believe how good it was (and got seconds) – anyone up for a DIY version sometime? As for food, we tried candied bacon, a fish and cilantro mix served on a tortilla chip, and mini churros on a stick. I’d give them an A+ for both presentation (as in the servers were legit MODELS…seriously, I have never seen such beautiful people), and for the DELISH taste. I could have eaten a full bag of tortilla chips with that fish and cilantro goodness on them.

Oh…with all this fanfare, I almost forgot the reason we were all there – THE CLOTHING LINE. Kit and Ace creates beautiful clothing made out of what they call “Technical Cashmere.” It’s luxury cashmere that is designed to be livable and comfortable. Think cashmere clothing that you don’t even need to dry clean. Yes, the price tags certainly match the “luxury” label ($70+ for a basic t-shirt), but I might be inclined to save up and buy a piece here because Kit and Ace really hits the mark on details. The colors are as soft as the clothing, and they make a perfect t-shirt if I’ve ever seen one. They strive to do business and produce clothing in a responsible way, citing integrity as their ultimate business value – “doing what you say you will do when you say you will do it…doing what you know to be truthful…doing what you know will make a difference…taking a stand for what you believe in.” This is the goal they strive for in both working with employees and suppliers and in producing the clothes that hang on their store walls. Those are some values I feel comfortable getting behind.

Upon leaving the store, I was given a party favor – a rocks glass printed with the name of our lovely city and the Kit and Ace logo. Inside, they tucked a beautifully printed sheet of paper clipped with their signature copper paper clip shaped like their logo and printed with their Integrity values.

If you want to check it out for yourself, visit http://www.kitandace.com/, read about the origins of Technical Cashmere (hint: happy Mongolian goats) at http://www.kitandace.com/our-story/, or head to the Rice Village store location at 2410 Times Blvd #110.