Up for sale here is a shirt from Japan’s Kapital label, one of a number of Japanese brands strongly influenced by American design and culture. Kapital are a bit different in that they have a very strong indigo influence for one, but also because some of their designs are a bit more “out there” than some of their contemporaries. They’re not a strictly work wear or vintage reproduction brand, but more use those tried and true silhouettes as a starting point and really do their own thing on top of that, offering in many cases pretty radical reinterpretations of work and vintage clothing.
In this case we have Kapital’s interpretation of the classic polo shirt, filtered as usual through Kapital’s very unique aesthetic. Material is a nicely knit 100% cotton fabric. Material has a very nice color and texture to it, where it is a bit more sophisticated than a standard solid cotton. Kapital is all about utilizing vintage production techniques, and they happen to be based in the Kojima area of central Japan, basically the center of Japan’s vintage repro industry. As such, they are able to take advantage of the concentration of expertise and vintage machinery in the area. Fabric is highly textured and there is a pleasantly uneven shade of black to the shirt. The shirt appears to have been vintage processed, made to look aged and nicely broken in.
There are also some interesting details incorporated into the shirt. There is a two button closure on the front, and a small teepee embroidered on the front as well. Retail on these pieces is around $200 in Japan, more abroad, although this model is now completely sold out. Get it here in excellent shape and at a fraction of the retail.
Size is labeled a 3 and fits like a somewhat slim medium. I measure the chest at 19”, shoulders at 17”, and length at 26” in front and 27” in back, both from the base of the neck. The shirt comes in lightly used, very good shape with no holes, tears or stains. Made in Japan.
Shipping from Japan to anywhere will be $24.