Superdry signs long-term Kappa deal with SS27 launch
Superdry & Co has signed a long-term co-branding agreement with Kappa, with the first collection scheduled to launch for spring/summer 2027.
The deal covers the design and development of KAPPA x SUPERDRY apparel and footwear, alongside distribution across the UK and selected European markets.
Designers from Superdry & Co have been working with Kappa’s team at the Italian brand’s archive in Turin, drawing on its heritage and existing design references.
As part of this, the collection will draw on Kappa’s sporting heritage and Omini logo, reworked through Superdry & Co’s approach to fit, fabrication and colour.
Kappa, which is owned by Turin-based BasicNet Group, becomes the first sportswear name in Superdry & Co’s portfolio of complementary brands. It follows the addition of Bench and US workwear label Stan Ray over the past six months.
Julian Dunkerton, founder and CEO of Superdry & Co, said: “Kappa is one of the great Italian sportswear brands. The archive is extraordinary.”
Dunkerton said the brands are intended to occupy different positions within the portfolio, with Kappa providing a sports-inspired offer alongside Bench and Stan Ray’s workwear categories.
“We've signed Kappa for the long term because that's how you build something that truly resonates,” he said. “I think this collection is going to be hugely exciting for our customers.”
The Kappa sports brand and its Omini logo were created in 1978 as a sports-focused division emerging from Robe di Kappa. Its profile grew through football sponsorships and appearances at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, according to BasicNet’s brand history.
Kappa continues to operate across performance and lifestyle sportswear. Its parent company also owns brands including K-Way, Superga, Sebago and Woolrich, using a licensing model under which local entrepreneurs manufacture or distribute products.
The Superdry & Co agreement follows Kappa’s July 2025 collaboration with British menswear brand Pretty Green, which drew on football clothing and 1990s cultural references.
It also comes after Superdry rebranded as Superdry & Co in 2025, introducing a new brandmark and updated store formats designed around its British heritage and a more premium aesthetic. Its portfolio strategy combines a revised core label with complementary brands and selected vintage clothing.
The privately owned company currently operates 118 stores across the UK and overseas, with another 141 franchise locations in 30 countries. It plans to open 21 standalone Superdry & Co stores in FY27.
In June, the retailer opened its first UK outlet under the repositioned format at Caledonia Park in Scotland. The 4,500 sq ft location carries men’s and women’s collections within the refreshed store concept.
The expansion follows a financial turnaround, with Superdry’s statutory profit after tax reaching £50.5 million for the year to 26 April 2025, compared with a £67.7 million loss a year earlier. The results formed part of its wider restructuring and repositioning, which included 47 store closures.
Julian Dunkerton is speaking at TheIndustry.fashion Fashion [Un]Bound Summit on 15 October 2026 at The Forum, Leadenhall. Find out more here and purchase tickets here.
