If you frequent TikTok, you’ve probably seen a lot of recent videos about people talking about their new jackets from Kin Apparel, which first appeared on television a couple of years ago and gained attention for their satin-line hoodies.
Its founder, Philomina Kane, a native of The Bronx, New York with Ghanaian roots, was raised in a family of skilled hair stylists, according to a 2023 Bronx Times article. Surrounded by a lineage of women who mastered the art of natural hair care, Kane maintained a healthy mane until she went away to college. In 2014, during her first year at Princeton, she decided to chop off all her hair and embrace natural hair.
“Around this time, a natural-hair movement was happening. I became obsessed with healthy hair care and started a YouTube channel to document my journey. It amassed almost 200,000 subscribers and became a community of women saying, ‘I want to embrace my hair like it is,'” Kane told Philly Magazine.
At the time, Kane inspired other Black women who may have struggled with their natural hair. Inspiration struck when she began wearing satin scarves underneath her hoodies during rugby practices. She then envisioned creating a brand of satin-lined hoodies, driven by the desire to provide protection and care for natural hair.
After graduating in 2017, Kane became a marketing director for a hair-care company. While she still maintained her title as a content creator on YouTube, she collaborated with an agency to create her first product.
“My first satin-lined hoodie came out in January 2019, but it was a side hustle. By the next year, I realized I was giving away my ideas and left to pursue entrepreneurship,” she shared with the outlet.
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Since then, KIN, an acronym for “keep it naturally,” marked the beginning of a promising journey for the young entrepreneur. In 2021, she appeared on Shark Tank and landed a $100,000 investment deal from British businesswoman Emme Grede. Two years later, she was awarded $75,000 from Pharell’s Black Ambition Program to help Black and Hispanic founders with investment funds to expand their businesses.
Kane has also collaborated with other major brands and recently launched a Black History Month line available on the company’s website.
“My goal is to raise $2 million in funding. In the past, I was cruising. Now, I want to take it to the next level,” Kane told Philly Magazine.
For her, the brand is more than just natural hair. It’s about giving back to the community.
“I’ve realized that even my reason for starting this brand isn’t the only reason why people buy the product,” Kane revealed to the Bronx Times. “It’s been great to grow the audience even past natural hair. So it’s really a need in itself. I think that’s what makes KIN Apparel different — building an actual brand that keeps community at the forefront.”
