L Catterton Acquires Majority Stake in Japanese Brand KAPITAL
In a major move, L Catterton, the private equity firm backed by luxury powerhouse LVMH, has acquired a majority stake in the iconic Japanese brand KAPITAL. The firm’s website has confirmed that the investment was made in 2024, although the exact amount of the stake has not been disclosed.
Strategic Partnership Announced Ahead of KAPITAL’s 40th Anniversary
The partnership between L Catterton and KAPITAL comes just in time for the brand’s 40th anniversary in 2025. This announcement also marks less than a year since the passing of KAPITAL’s founder, Toshikiyo Hirata, in April 2024.
KAPITAL: A Legacy in Japanese Denim
Founded in 1985 in Kojima, the district in Japan’s Okayama prefecture known as the birthplace of Japanese denim, KAPITAL has a rich history. Hirata-san, who first established the brand in 1948 while living in the United States as a karate teacher, was heavily influenced by the American denim aesthetic. He was also one of the early Japanese collectors who traveled to America in search of “vintage gold” and later studied denim-making techniques in Kojima in the 1980s.
