July, 2024
Kappa is the leading Italian sportswear brand that creates clothing, footwear and accessories tailored for both sport and leisure. Founded in Turin, Italy, in 1967, Kappa is present in over 130 countries and is worn by professional athletes and style enthusiasts worldwide.
Distinguished by its iconic ‘Omini’ logo depicting a man and woman back to back, Kappa embodies an avant-garde fusion of Italian technology, retro hip-hop style and technical sportswear heritage.
Known as the 'Omini', this logo came about by chance. During a photoshoot for a swimwear catalogue, founder Maurizio Vitale noticed two silhouettes leaning against each other, backlit, creating a symmetrical shape.
The Omini logo serves as a symbol of equality and cooperation between men and women in both sports and life. Over the course of the 20th century, it has become a timeless icon, embodying these principles with enduring meaning.
Since the birth of the ‘Omini’ logo and the success that followed, there has been little need to change the infamous back-to-back icon. Over the years, minor changes have been made to further modernise it, with the addition of a font that read ‘Kappa Sport’, with ‘Sport’ later being dropped, to land on a more simplistic style with the ‘Omini’ logo and the word ‘Kappa’ written underneath.
In the 1980s, the font was updated to a bolder, stronger and more modern font, bringing the design further into the contemporary design. Finally, the solid red numbers and letters were changed to white instead, with a red outline retained to freshen it up further. Since there has been a return to the heritage logo, the simplicity of the solid silhouettes in block red without any text is now as impactful as it was in the early days.
The 50th anniversary of the ‘Omini’ logo in 2019 was marked by a celebration of the human form in the signature and famous back-to-back formation. A live performance curated by Neville Wakefield with Italian artist Vanessa Beecroft was held at Art Basel in Miami. Through 50 different interactions, the Kappa trademark was reinterpreted by couples sitting back-to-back and moving in sync.
Kappa continues to promote the famous 'Omini' logo and seeks partnerships that reflect the brand's dedication to sport and the lifestyles of fans within those sporting communities. With creativity at its heart, the 'Omini' logo still resonates, and continues to represent style, technical quality and community.
