The world number one in luxury, via its investment structure L Catterton, recently formalized a majority stake in the Kapital brand, a jeans specialist made in Japan.
An investment in luxury jeans
No formal announcement but an additional line which is added to the list of investments made by L Catterton in 2024. After – among others – an interest in the Italian cosmetics group Kiko Milano or in the Chinese drinks brand Viee, the group’s private equity company LVMH a few weeks ago offered a stake in the Japanese fashion brand Capital.
The exact amount of the participation, presented as majority, has not yet been specified.
Know-how serving the “Japanese Americana” style
Kapital, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, was founded in the Kojima district of Okayama Prefecture, known for its artisanal denim techniques.
Renowned for its limited edition denim collections, the brand is based on traditional know-how combined with an inspired style. workwear with avant-garde cuts and patterns.
This news comes less than a year after the death of Toshikiyo Hirata, founder of Kapital, in April 2024. The latter had become interested in denim fabric in the 1980s after a stay in the United States. Back in Japan, he trained in manufacturing techniques before launching his specialized factory and a store.
Since the early 2000s, Toshikiyo Hirata’s son Kiro has helped refine Kapital’s style and popularize the brand among international celebrities, particularly in the hip-hop music industry. Among them, singer and producer Pharrell Williams, also artistic director of the Louis Vuitton men’s collections, owned by LVMH.
To this day, Kiro Hirata still serves as the brand’s creative director.
