Editor’s Note: The auction for this Kapital Kountry hoodie ended on May 14 with a final price of $146.
Welcome to Style Spotting, a recurring column highlighting unique clothing and accessories worn by some of the most stylish men we know. This week: John Mayer’s Kapital hoodie.
John Mayer just released a handful of promo photos to support his new song ‘New Light.’ Shot by Carlos Serrao, the photos show Mayer rocking an eclectic mix of hard-to-find clothing. One of the more wild pieces is a heavily distressed hoodie with ‘Moon’ emblazoned across the chest made by the Japanese brand Kapital. A part of the brand’s Kountry sub-line, the hoodie is cut from loopback cotton and features a drawstring hood, a ribbed crew neck with a V-stitch detail and a kangaroo pocket with unfinished edges.
Founded in 1984 by Toshikiyo Hirata, Kapital is an independent, family-owned clothing brand based in Okayama, Japan. Its factory initially produced jeans for notable brands like Studio D’artisan, Denime and 45rpm, helping to establish Japanese denim as a superior product in the market. In 1995 Kapital opened its first store in Kojima and in 1996 it released a line of denim called TK. Hirata’s son Kiro joined the brand in 2001 after working as a designer for 45rpm and brought a new vision to the company.
Kapital’s clothing is made to be unique and reflects the individual craftsman behind each piece. At the brand’s Kountry wash-house which was founded in 2010 outside Kojima, clothing is pre-distressed, dyed and mended. Garments incorporate the concept of wabi-sabi while also preserving elements of traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
The Moon hoodie has a range of distinct details. The kangaroo pouch has a frayed hem and the lettering is well-worn. The fading on the sleeves shows the outlines of stars that have worn off (some of these stars are still present on the right sleeve). On the chest and back, the fading shows where the number ‘5’ was adorned — mending keeps corners of the numeral intact. A few bleach drops round out the beat-to-hell look.
Kapital Kountry garments are intricately produced in low numbers and are hard to find in North America. But if this hoodie resonates with you — and you wear a small size — you’re in luck. One of these hoodies is available on a Yahoo Auction with an initial bid of $95. To bid on the auction, use the proxy site Zenmarket which charges a service fee of around $3. Currently, there are no bids on the hoodie and over two days left which means you could pick this up for quite the deal if you act fast.
