KAAPIE (pronounced: “Kaah_pee” meaning: Capetonian) is a Cape Town based fashion label, which is a reflection of the Mother City's cosmopolitan lifestyle. The brand is a vibrant mix of the various communities that make up this metropolis, from Khayelitsha to Camps Bay.
Rodney Douglas and Amanda Cooke founded the company in 2009. Their mission was to create a fashion label that represented the Cape . Starting off, the brand was very novel based. Since the launch in October 2010 however, KAAPIE has branched out into being a fashion-based company.
KAAPIE has made certain that all of the production processes happen in Cape Town - nothing is imported. A big part of the company’s business model is to work with young designers and experienced workers, to bring their clothing to the broader masses. KAAPIE wishes to create a platform for designers to focus on their designs, while it (KAAPIE) sees to the commercial side of the industry. The textile industry is undergoing a change that people have to acknowledge. KAAPIE acknowledges that they do not have a solution, but the company is adamant in making it easier to get Cape Town’s clothing out into the market place.
The company’s primary target markets are those who identify with Cape culture. The customers range from Capetonians who live in the Mother City, those who live abroad and basically anyone who understands the diversity of being a "KAAPIE".
