In the 1950s the Maglificio Calzificio Torinese (MCT), already a leading manufacturer of socks and underwear in Italy, created Kappa, a sub-brand of the Aquila brand, as a result of a production problem that had caused a loss in sales.
The crisis spurred MCT to launch a renewed and improved product line which would be tagged K - Kontrollen in an attempt to achieve new credibility with regard to quality.
Sales boomed and in the seasons to come, market demand for garments with the K kept growing.
This was the mid-1950s, and Kappa had become a consolidated brand, in Italy the undisputed leader in the socks and underwear sector.
1969 saw the textile industry hit by recession, in a period marked by social change.
MCT’s response was to diversify production.
The students’ movement had introduced the concept of casual wear, and MCT management decided to start up production of outerwear, based on the success of the firm’s best-selling brand. Robe di Kappa was born.
Our renowned Omini logo also dates back to 1969 when, during a photo session for the Beatrix bathing suits (another MCT brand) catalogue, photographers realized they had come up with more than just a pretty picture. It was a shot of a young man and woman, both naked and sitting back to back, their outlines traced by back lighting.
The shot was not used in the catalogue.
Instead, it became the new Robe di Kappa logo.
In the late 1970 MCT made the move into sportswear and technical sports gear.
The new division inherited the original Kappa brand and would feature the Omini logo, which by now had become a recognized symbol of quality and style.