the Italian sportswear brand Kappa, began as the sock and underwear company 'Maglificio Calzificio Torinese' (MCT) in 1916 in the northern Italian city of Turin. In the 1950's the MCT created the Kappa brand in order to resolve production problems they were experiencing which were having an adverse effect on their sales and credibility. The thinking was that the newly launched Kappa brand would bring with it new integrity and for the next decade it did, becoming the market leader in the sock and underwear market with over 1500 employees. The recession which hit the textile industry in 1969 brought with it a change for Kappa as they opted to capitalise on the concept of casual wear championed by the student's movement. MCT decided to launch an outerwear range based on the success of Kappa and the Robe di Kappa brand was born.

during the 70's and 80's the Kappa sportswear brand grew from strength to strength wnd there were a number of defining moments along the way. In 1973 Kappa introduced the 'Pique Polo' (still one of the world's best selling polo shirts today), in 1981 Kappa sponsored the New York Marathon, (breaking into the American market for the first time) and in 1983 Kappa signed a 10 year deal to sponsor the USA track and field athletics team. The latter deal saw the likes of Carl Lewis, Ed Moses and Florence Griffith-Joyner winning gold medals in the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics in Kappa sportswear. Throughout the 70's, 80's and 90's Kappa sponsored a number of major football teams like Juventus, FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Ajax and Paris Saint-German and more recently the Italian and US national squads.

Today Kappa is one of the world's leading sportswear brands instantly recognisable by it's famous Omini logo which depicts a man and woman sitting back to back, supporting one another in a sign of equality.