Japanese clothing brand Kapital is known for referencing proponents of peace in its wildly creative designs. T-shirts, caps, bags and bandanas have featured the likeness of Mahatma Gandhi — the Indian activist’s quotes have even been embroidered on one of the brand’s fleece vests. Another range of t-shirts was emblazoned with the phrase “Peace Pilgrim” in a similar font used by the American spiritual teacher of the same name. So it’s no surprise that brand teamed up with the family of Bob Marley to produce a line of clothing inspired by the Jamaican musician. Marley’s focus on nonviolence and revolution through music continues to inspire new generations decades after his death in 1981.
Though Kapital is no stranger to collaborations — notably, designer Kim Jones utilized the brand’s unique boro fabric in his spring 2013 collection for Louis Vuitton — this is the first collection that is so overt in its nature. But the collaboration seems to have developed naturally. Marley’s grandson Skip is a fan of the brand and performed in a custom Kapital jacket at Coachella in April 2018. It was around the same time that Kapital’s designer, Kiro Hirata, met with Skip and his mother Cedella (the CEO of Bob Marley Group of Companies) in Los Angeles.
Both the Marleys and Kapital have been teasing the collecting since last fall, but the brand officially released it on February 3 in Japan. A full range of Kapital’s clothing is notoriously hard to find in North America, but the brand allowed a limited-release of the pieces at H.Lorenzo in Hollywood earlier this month. The 10-piece Bob Marley Talkin’ Blues Champion Sound collection features denim jackets, jeans and tees, among other pieces.
Jeans and coveralls, starting at $599, are embellished with the collection name and come with a custom bandana. T-shirts start at $139 and embroidered shirts cost $669. A standout piece from the collection, both is scope and price, is the hand-distressed Patch Denim Jacket which features a bevy of custom patches, pins and rivets (it retails for $7,295). And while the prices are (not unexpectedly) reflective of the limited availability and collectible nature of these pieces, this collection is a thoughtful and playful homage to a revolutionary man. So if you see something you love and have the cash to spare, don’t wait — these are bound to sell out quickly.