Toshikiyo Hirata stood as a pioneer in the Japanese denim industry, leading the charge by merging traditional Japanese craftsmanship with American denim aesthetics. As we reflect on his remarkable journey following his recent death, we delve into the origins of his pioneering work and explore how his son is carrying forward his enduring legacy.

Building the foundation of Japanese Denim

The story of Toshikiyo Hirata begins at the crossroads of Japanese tradition and contemporary design. KAPITAL was created in 1985, as Toshikiyo launched his denim factory in the Kojima district of Kurashiki, Okayama prefecture. Kojima, renowned as the Denim Capital of Japan, was the birthplace of the iconic Japanese denim, also known as Japan Blue. It’s this location that would inspire Hirata to go with the name KAPITAL for his own brand, and is responsible for the unique spelling.

Boro denim

One of the hallmarks from KAPITAL’s early days, is their famous Boro denim.

The practice of Boro originates from the Edo period and was cultivated in Aomori. As there was no wool in Aomori, locals ingeniously crafted garments by layering and sewing used hemp cloth. This practice later developed into an inventive way to repair clothing.

Toshikiyo Hirata combined the techniques of Boro with traditional Japanese sashiko stitching, a type of traditional Japanese embroidery or stitching used for both decoration and reinforcement in clothing. By combining two traditional Japanese techniques, KAPITAL launched their Boro designs into the world, prolonging the technique’s legacy, and prompting fashion designers all over the world to experiment with Boro.

Kiro Hirata joins KAPITAL

Toshikiyo’s son, Kiro Hirata, studied art and design in The States. In 2002, he joined his father’s business and became the designer of KAPITAL. Kiro would steer the ship into a new direction, revolutionizing the brand into the qualitative fashion stronghold KAPITAL has become today.

Thanks to his father’s foundation built on passion for craftsmanship, Kiro Hirata had all the means to apply his longing for experimentation and creativity, leading to the creation of one of the brand’s centerpiece collections: Century Denim, a blend of Japanese tradition and American modernity. After being dyed with either Kakishibu, Indigo, or Japanese ink, the jeans were decorated and reinforced with indigo dyed sashiko cotton yarn. This combo gives the KAPITAL Century Denim collection its distinctive look.

In addition to overseeing the direction and design of KAPITAL's apparel, Kiro initiated significant shifts in the brand’s creative direction and marketing strategies. Through a longstanding partnership with photographer Eric Kvatek, he immersed KAPITAL’s garments in diverse cultures worldwide, producing iconic lookbooks that captured the essence of each year’s collection within a distinct cultural context.

Its new creative changes saw the brand supported by major celebrities and brands like A$AP Rocky, Pharrell, Travis Scott and Louis Vuitton.

KAPITAL 2006 Aloha Brigade Lookbook, by archive.pdf

KAPITAL’s legacy

Thanks to Toshikiyo Hirata’s dedication to craftsmanship, American denim, and his country’s ancient traditions, he stands at the foundation of one of fashion’s most genuine and fascinating brands. Together with his son's pioneering vision, his legacy will continue to stand as a counter-approach to modern fashion norms, prioritizing quality and innovation over quantity.