Kaptain Sunshine FW26

24 October 2026

Founded in Tokyo in 2013 by designer and former magazine editor Shinsuke Kojima, Kaptain Sunshine creates clothing informed by traditional menswear, military uniforms, naval garments and outdoor life. These familiar references are reconsidered through original Japanese fabrics, relaxed proportions and an exacting approach to construction.

The result is clothing that feels immediately recognizable yet distinctly its own. Classic outerwear becomes lighter and more refined, while tailoring gains volume, movement and unexpected softness. Denim, knitwear and practical layers sit comfortably together, forming a wardrobe that is functional without appearing overly technical and elegant without becoming formal.

Shop the collection

Clothes Made for the Journey

Travel and the outdoors have long shaped Kojima’s perspective. He spent part of his childhood in Hakuba, a mountain village in Nagano, where skiing and life close to nature became part of his everyday experience. Those early influences remain visible in Kaptain Sunshine’s appreciation for protective outerwear, functional details and clothes made to move through changing environments.

The brand describes its garments as companions for adventure. That idea is not limited to distant destinations. These are clothes intended for the journeys that make up ordinary life: walking through the city, travelling between seasons or packing a dependable layer that can be worn almost anywhere.

Nothing is treated as too precious for regular use. Kaptain Sunshine designs daywear that can be worn hard, washed and dried in the sun. Longevity comes not from keeping a garment untouched, but from allowing it to soften, fade and develop a character shaped by its owner.

Fabric Comes First

Original textile development is central to Kaptain Sunshine. Kojima works closely with specialist Japanese mills and manufacturers, controlling the process from the selection of fibres through weaving, finishing and construction.

In an interview, Kojima explained that the strength of modern Japanese labels comes partly from their close relationships with small and medium-sized manufacturers. Each workshop contributes a particular area of expertise, allowing designers to achieve qualities that would be difficult to produce through standardized manufacturing.

Kaptain Sunshine sources materials according to those regional strengths. Wool comes from the Bishu textile region, denim from Okayama and silk from Hokuriku, while exceptional fibres such as Egyptian Finx cotton and Indian Suvin cotton are selected for their softness, strength and ability to age well.

This focus explains why the brand’s product descriptions often begin with the textile rather than the silhouette. Fabric is not simply applied to a finished design; it determines the weight, drape, structure and feeling of the garment from the beginning.

Fall/Winter 2026: Familiar Forms, Richer Materials

For FW26, Kaptain Sunshine returns to enduring outerwear, tailoring and workwear forms, giving them renewed depth through exceptional materials and generous silhouettes.

The collection moves naturally between robust and refined. Dense wool outerwear sits alongside relaxed tailoring, textured layers and practical everyday pieces. Suede and sheepskin bring warmth and depth, while silk blends reinterpret casual shapes with an unexpected sense of ease. Selvedge denim, cotton moleskin and sturdy drill cloth ground the collection in the practical traditions that continue to inform the label.

The palette is understated and richly autumnal: navy, olive, brown, black and natural shades that allow the surface and structure of each fabric to remain visible. Rather than relying on decoration, the collection finds expression through subtle lustre, depth of colour and the way a fabric moves when worn.

Relaxed proportions make room for layering, but the silhouettes remain carefully controlled. Outerwear falls in clean lines, jackets balance volume with practical lengths, and trousers draw on traditional military and workwear shapes without feeling like reproductions. The references may come from the past, but the clothes are designed for contemporary life.

Material, Shape and Purpose

Throughout FW26, utility is expressed through thoughtful construction rather than conspicuous technical details. Generous silhouettes create room for layering, while considered pockets, adjustable elements and carefully balanced proportions support everyday movement.

The fabrics give these familiar forms their individual character. Dense wool brings structure and fluidity to outerwear, while herringbone, suede, sheepskin, silk blends, selvedge denim and substantial cotton introduce contrasting weights and textures. Each material is chosen to complement the garment’s intended use and to develop naturally with wear.

This relationship between textile and silhouette is central to Kaptain Sunshine. Rather than treating fabric as a surface applied to a predetermined design, the brand allows its weight, texture and movement to shape the finished piece. The result is clothing that feels refined on first wear yet is made to become increasingly personal over time.

Designed to Be Lived In

Kaptain Sunshine does not reinvent classic clothing for the sake of novelty. Instead, it studies what has allowed certain garments to remain useful for decades, then adjusts their material, balance and proportion for the present.

That philosophy makes the brand a natural addition to Wallace Mercantile. These are pieces that can become foundations of a wardrobe—comfortable enough for everyday use, thoughtfully constructed and distinctive in ways that reveal themselves gradually.

Kaptain Sunshine FW26 is clothing for living in: made in Japan, shaped by travel and designed to become better through the experiences it accompanies. We invite you to discover the collection at Wallace Mercantile.