by Marcus Mitropoulos
For Kai Burton, fashion is more than just individual threads tying a garment together—it’s a story. In 2020, Burton conceived Kouri, a streetwear clothing company that aims to tell a story with each and every collection. Today, the brand is part of a movement that is shifting public attention onto Ottawa’s fashion scene. Spearheaded by young designers, brilliant minds, and a community that wants nothing more than to see each other succeed, Burton and Kouri are at the forefront.
Burton with some of the Kouri clothing he designed. Photo provided.
While Kouri was formally launched in 2020, the ethos of the brand far precedes its first release. Burton played high-level volleyball while growing up in Ajax, Ont. He represented the provincial team on numerous occasions as he dove head-first into his high school education. By the time Burton hit Grade 12, he and coaches nationally believed he had the skill set to play at the varsity level in university.
But fate had different plans. In his senior year, Burton broke his hand. He felt the injury was simply a bump in the road: “It wasn’t a crazy injury. It was definitely something I could bounce back from.” However, it halted the progress he had worked so hard to achieve.
He attended the University of Guelph in 2019 with hopes of playing for the Gryphons and completing a degree in business management. In his second year, as he continued rehabbing his hand and rebuilding his confidence, the pandemic struck. Burton was sidelined not only as an athlete, but as a person.
“I was taken out of volleyball due to things out of my control,” says Burton. “Having it taken away from me made me really internalize what I was genuinely interested in.”
Clothing by Kouri. Photo provided.
Growing up as a student-athlete made Burton feel comfortable. He believed that, at times, people avoided prying into his goals and aspirations as they assumed his life revolved around sports. However, during the pandemic, Burton had a self-proclaimed “identity crisis.” Without volleyball to fall back on, and a burning passion for project management and fashion, Burton came up with Kouri.
“I definitely struggled to name this project. I used to think so hard about a name that would ring well, while also being unique. I eventually realized that one name couldn’t begin to communicate how much meaning would be expressed through my brand,” said Burton.
So Burton opted for a personal name. The K comes from the first letter of his first name, and the rest of it comes from his middle name, Nouri. He thought it was a bit random, but realized quickly that it was a perfect blend of “personal and memorable.”
Trucker hat by Kouri. Photo provided.
In August 2021, Kouri dropped its first item of clothing. He wanted an item that would work universally, so he opted for a trucker hat: “They have adjustable sizes, they’re not too expensive, and you can make them pretty unique,” said Burton.
His first drop went according to plan, selling every single hat. From there, Burton scaled his operation to clothing, focusing on the athletic-minded streetwear genre. As an athlete, Burton knows a thing or two about cozy wear, as volleyball’s gruelling schedule inherently forces players to choose comfortable, function-first attire.
Clothing by Kouri. Photo provided.
Kouri is currently on Capsule 03, which is titled Ubuntu: “It’s an African concept that essentially translates to I am because you are. It’s a recognition of the fact that you are really a product of the people around you.” The capsule features a pair of white socks covered in the labels’ branding, a pair of brown track pants, a zip-up set that Burton called root brown, and a deep green pullover hoodie titled flora.
Burton is committed to continuing his relationship with Ottawa’s fashion industry, which was sparked by online relationships built with friends during the pandemic: “My first trip to Ottawa was to help my buddy run an event called Blank Canvas. It allowed me to meet so many cool creatives and when I graduated, I knew I wanted to move out here.”
Kouri took part in the recent V2V Fashion show here in Ottawa. Photo: Marcus Mitropoulos.
As Burton continues to grow Kouri, he aims to maintain the same ethos that he developed when he launched the label. All aspects of the business are dealt with in-house, either by Burton, or an army of local creatives that he’s built relationships with.
Check out Kouri’s latest drop on their website and Instagram.
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