About us MAD Lions and Kappa:
As the official store of MAD Lions products, produced and designed by Kappa, we want you to learn a little more about the philosophy, origin and essence of both brands that have now merged into a unique collection of both official kits and lifestyle fashion.
Who we are: Kappa and MAD Lions
Kappa® is one of the world's leading sportswear and lifestyle brands of Italian origin. Kappa® is a technical, maverick, colourful, flexible, competent and global brand.
Kappa Origins:
The germ of what is today Kappa is in Maglificio Calzaturificio Torinese (MCT), a company founded in 1916 by Abramo Vitale. Dedicated to manufacturing socks and underwear, the turning point came in 1956, where from a mistake, the company knew how to take advantage of it, become strong and grow like never before.
In 1956, a defective stock of socks manufactured by MCT was mistakenly distributed to the market. As they were defective, the retailers returned the merchandise and MCT, in order to give the product renewed strength and regain the credibility it had lost, decided to mark the packaging of the new collection with a "K" and the German legend "Kontroll".
From that crisis point they grew stronger. So much so that the new production caught on so strongly with retailers and customers that everyone wanted socks with the K. In a short time, Kappa® became the market leader for socks and underwear. Due to the demand for the K socks, which was originally a "Kontroll" stamp, it resulted in the fact that in Italy, the letter K was called Kappa and hence the name change from MCT to Kappa, that is its origin.
New turning point: John Lennon and military shirts. Swim Robe di Kappa®
In 1968, Kappa® continued to evolve, and it did so after one of the events that would change the future of the company and the firm: Maruizio Vitale, 23 years old and great-grandson of the founder, was appointed CEO. Maurizio Vitale, at that time, saw John Lennon interviewed on television, dressed in a military shirt belonging to a victim of the Vietnam War. At that moment he had a vision: to conquer a market avid for casual and unisex clothing.
Maurizio Vitale had thousands of unsold shirts, sitting in warehouses, dyed green and personalized with stars and military insignia, surplus from the wartime supply of socks and underwear to the front. This was the birth of the Robe di Kappa® brand -as the new products were called-.
It reached a wide audience of young consumers and entered the collective imagination fully with the creation of the "Omini" logo. This very original logo was the silhouette of a young couple, sitting back to back. The polo shirt became the icon of the new brand, both for men and women.
2016, 60 years later: Sportswear - street style
From sportswear to urban style. 60 years after the creation of the brand, Kappa® returns to the world street style scene thanks to its iconic products that caught the attention of international stylists and designers, generating important collaborations with Marcelo Burlon and Faith Connexion, which has given rise to a collection by Russian designer and photographer Gosha Rubchinskiy. These collections are inspired by post-USSR youth culture and are produced by Comme des Garçons, which included Kappa® in its Pitti exhibition.
Currently, the "Omini" are part of the "youth culture" influenced by Selena Gómez, Lewis Hamilton, Karol G or Kyle Jenner, among others, who have chosen to use Kappa®, inspiring millions of followers and, once Once again, the brand has placed itself in the spotlight of a new contemporary aesthetic.
Label Life
On the other hand, at Kappa® we evolve with society, not only in terms of designs and needs, but also in terms of society and its problems as a whole. The Life label is proof of this social commitment, in this case with the environment and the well-being of the planet. The Life line is made with natural, organic, recycled or ecological fabrics. A minimalist wardrobe, based on pastel colors, where the environment and the preservation of the planet are respected. In the Life collection, the "Omini" logo is reworked to play with materials and reflections.
Sport, Kappa essence
Throughout these years, of course, the essence of sports fashion has not been lost. Beyond the different lines of business, sport has been, is and will continue to be a fundamental pillar for Kappa®. Soccer, Rugby, Padel... many teams, many leagues, many competitions in which Kappa® has been the image of great clubs that have, in turn, starred in great moments. FC Barcelona, Betis, Deportivo de la Coruña, Monaco, Fiorentina, Aston Villa, Palermo... Formula 1 teams like Alpine. Teams like the USA Ski Team, and of course, always at the forefront, Kappa is together with a leading club in the Professional Video Game League: MAD Lions.
MAD Lions, Kappa and ESPORTS:
MAD Lions Philosophy:
MAD Lions is an ESPORTS club for which collective and individual honor prevails in decision-making, actions and behaviors. Their goal is always to choose the morally correct alternative.
All activities and teams are governed by the utmost respect for people and rivals, sincerity and humanity. From MAD Lions they accept, celebrate and defend personal decisions and the diversity that enriches society and the Industry.
They opt for humility and discretion as fundamental values, to create a healthy environment that makes sport and positive entertainment the protagonist.
From MAD Lions, the level of self-demand is maximum in dealing with due respect between teammates, fans and people outside the club.
A relentless work ethic is used at MAD Lions to learn new skills and abilities in order to excel in competitions and be prepared for challenges. They work diligently to show how they are willing to sacrifice to be the best and never stop growing.
MAD Lions strives for greatness by regularly participating in global training and seeks personal development and team improvement without wavering for a moment (without losing momentum). They understand that self-discipline in the most difficult situations sheds light on exemplary behavior on and off stage.
They are determined to set the example of professionalism that this sector deserves.
Kappa and MAD Lions come together in a collection of official sports equipment and a unique fashion collection that the club deserves. As always, from Kappa®, at the forefront: visionaries with fashion, visionaries also with ESPORTS. And we continue to grow together, as a brand, as a team and together.