The KIEKI Story

Our Story

Kia ora! We’re Ben & Kapua. Just a couple of high school sweethearts from Kamo, turned proud parents and even prouder founders of KIEKI.

KIEKI was born in lockdown '22. With work on pause and time to dream, Kapua finally had the chance to chase a vision she’d had since high school. But just as we were about to launch, life threw us a beautiful curveball, after years of trying, we were pregnant with our daughter, Riaki.

Naturally, the brand took a back seat. Until we went baby shopping one day and realised the kids clothing section was still boring. That fired us up. We started creating bold, bright pieces we’d actually want our pēpi in, and shared a few sneak peeks online. The response? Wild.

So we did something a little crazy, pulled out of building a house and decided to back KIEKI with everything we had. No plan B. Just belief.

KIEKI is our love letter to whānau, culture, and colour. It’s streetwear made for every generation from pēpi to pakeke. It’s for those who want to stand out, move with purpose, and match with their mini.

What does KIEKI mean?
It’s a nod to our daughter Riaki — the ‘ki’ at the end of her name. Short, sweet, and uniquely ours.

Our kaupapa:
To show our kids what’s possible. To rep Māori business with pride. And to prove that you don’t need to have it all figured out, you just need to start.

Thanks for backing us. You’re part of this kaupapa too.

– Ben & Kaps