KFC Turns Crispy Coating into Tailor Made Couture

Fashion celebrates what is different, exclusive, and impossible to copy - just like KFC’s most iconic recipe: Colonel Sanders’ crispy breading. With this in mind, KFC brings together these two worlds, combining its beloved fried chicken with the fashion universe in a unique, limited-time initiative that personalises everyday items and transforms them into something 'crispy.'

The idea is simple: when purchasing medium buckets of KFC fried chicken, customers get the chance to personalise selected fashion items. All they need to do is bring their items to KFC’s iconic store in São Bernardo do Campo, present their receipts, and within up to three weeks, the customised items will be delivered to their homes with the 'crispy breading' - that is, KFC-style personalisation. Eligible items include bucket hats, tote bags, coats and jackets, jeans, skirts, and waist bags, exclusively at the brand’s iconic physical store and Brazil’s first KFC drive-thru.

The promotion will run for a limited time, from March 27th to March 29th, and is a special gift for fans of the brand, designed to bring KFC closer to its so-called 'brand lovers.'

“The initiative allows us to gift our KFC Lovers with personalised items, expanding the relationship and closeness between the brand and its customers beyond just food. The pieces emerge as an extension of this new visual code, establishing our 'crunch' as an element of fashion and design,” comments Fernanda Harb, marketing director of KFC Brazil.

Created by the agency Lola\TBWA, the initiative builds on existing pieces that receive an extra layer - just like the brand’s chicken: juicy and crispy thanks to Colonel Sanders’ unique recipe. The crunchiness inspired the development of a fabric texture used in jackets, bags, skirts, hats, and other accessories.

The project kicked off last Sunday, when the brand set up an installation as part of Design Week. BAFU – @barrafundaautoral, one of the most representative creative hubs of Design Week, hosted Colonel Sanders’ atelier, where selected pieces were customised with a touch of crunch.

“If fashion collaborates with brands, we decided to collaborate with an asset. KFC’s breading is one of the most recognisable visual codes out there. Fashion has many instantly identifiable codes, like plaid, weaving, or even thread colour. The difference is that ours is not only recognised - it’s loved. By bringing it into fashion, we turn a brand icon into the protagonist and take KFC into a space it doesn’t usually occupy, in a natural, relevant, and unexpected way”, says Leo Macias, CCO of Lola\TBWA.

For the project, Atelier by Amanda Lenzi is responsible for coordinating the customisations. Customers bring their items to the store and receive them back with a special 'seasoning,' making them unique, exclusive, and impossible to replicate. Sherpa fabric was used, resembling the look and tone of KFC’s chicken breading, translating the brand’s signature crunch into fashion. The pieces are hand-sewn through a complex and delicate artisanal process, requiring more care and time than producing a garment from scratch.

The initiative responds to fans’ desire for items that bring them closer to the KFC universe, becoming symbols of belonging and individual expression. It also highlights the brand’s boldness in venturing into the fashion world in a fun and irreverent way, while reinforcing the superiority of its recipes and its playful communication style.