Every season, there are one or two things I regret having missed out on. Last season, it was this Melton wool “traveler coat” from Kaptain Sunshine. It’s a long, raglan-sleeved overcoat made with lots of cool details – including a flapped patched, ticket pocket set just above the hips; equestrian-inspired leg straps hidden in the interior; and a perfectly cut collar that looks great when worn up. Most of all, I love the silhouette. Comfortable fitting and slightly oversized, it’s a refreshing take on men’s outerwear in this slim-fit age. You can see my friend Kyle wearing it here with a chunky, cabled turtleneck and some light washed jeans.
If you’ve never heard of Kaptain Sunshine, don’t worry – they’re a relatively new label, having just started in 2013. Their designer, Shinsuke Kojima, was one of the founding editors of Huge, a popular Japanese magazine that sadly folded just two years ago. Having left the publishing business, Shinsuke now designs his own menswear line, Kaptain Sunshine, as well as Woolrich’s Japanese collections.
Like many other Japanese brands, Kaptain Sunshine takes inspiration from vintage Americana, militaria, and outdoor wear. A lot of this comes from Shinsuke’s love for vintage clothing, which he’s been collecting since he was 15 years old. As a teen, he used to rummage through Tokyo’s dustier thrift stores for vintage Levi’s, varsity sweaters, and beat-up military parkas. These days, you can still find him on the weekends at Suntrap, a premier vintage outfitter in Tokyo, which Shinsuke cites as one of his favorite shops.
You can see a lot of this influence in Shinsuke’s work. Previous collections, for example, have included this military take on Abercrombie & Fitch’s iconic patchwork safari jacket, the original of which was made famous by Hunter S. Thompson. There’s also plenty of outdoor inspired gear in his fall/winter lines, but then classic, nautical designs for spring/summer. I love the waxed cotton, corduroy collar hunting coats you see below, as well as the cheerful, yellow sea smocks with bold, flapped chest pockets. In the photo above, you can see a slightly more stylish take on things that look like they could be pulled straight out of a vintage LL Bean catalog.
The thing that sets Kaptain Sunshine apart from other companies, however, is the silhouettes. Shinsuke isn’t afraid to experiment – looser trousers with billowy thighs that sharply taper below the knees, or rounded coats that contrast against slim, slightly cropped denim. Some of this is about how he prefers clothes that are comfortable, and will often adjust his patterns by half sizes depending on the mood of the collection. Shinsuke also tells me that he’s very much inspired by the original and idiosyncratic cuts of vintage clothes.
For being a niche Japanese label, Kaptain Sunshine is surprisingly easy to wear. This isn’t the kind of apocalyptic, hobo stuff you might find from Kapital, or even the patchwork sashiko designs you’d get from Blue Blue Japan. This is something like a more interesting version of vintage Americana – historical designs, but reimagined. The clothes can be easily integrated into almost any wardrobe, from J. Crew to Engineered Garments, simply because they’re unique without being overly conspicuous. All the visual interest here is in the silhouettes and subtle details, while the fabrics and classic designs keep things familiar.
Plus, you know … the brand is called Kaptain Sunshine, which is the best name ever.
At the moment, you can find Kaptain Sunshine at End and No Man Walks Alone (the second of which is an advertiser on this site). The spring/summer collection hasn’t dropped yet, but I assume it will in the next few weeks.
