Kapital does for me what Bruce Weber does for a million American teenagers and gay men – it creates the world I want to live in. A few years back my good friend John Shimazaki showed me a look book that was strange and fascinating, depicting air force fighter pilots chasing a stuffed rabbit and jelly fish floating over the desert sky. When I went to Japan I stumbled upon one of the stores. I was taken by not just the quality of materials, the level of attention to detail, originality and craftsmanship, but the textures, the smells, sounds and spirit. The connection went beyond just admiration for a brand. It tapped into strong emotional channels. It made me feel nostalgia for something I knew I hadn’t known. It made me feel excited for certain possibilities, not really of where a product could go, but where you could create an entire world. My trip to see Tokyo quickly turned into a trip to see the five Kapital stores in Tokyo – all the same and all very different. For about a year or so after it was hard for me to even talk about. I would only mention it to friends that knew of it or that I knew would appreciate if I told them. Now its all okay. People know. Some people get it and some don’t. I’m cool with it. Below are some images from my favorite Kapital collection, Totem Life. Their latest is here.
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