Germany’s Kapten & Son to make UK retail debut this summer

Backpack brand Kapten & Son is preparing to enter the UK retail market. The German label is set to open its first store in the region within London’s Seven Dials, Covent Garden shopping district on August 16, 2025.

The UK retail debut reflects a “major milestone” in the brand’s international expansion, and comes on the back of successful store launches in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Vienna and Amsterdam. Its London location thus “represents the next step in connecting with a growing global community of urban adventurers”, the company said.

The new store will offer a number of interactive experiences alongside its products, including a packing table to test items; a size check station for hand luggage; and a ‘Magic Mirror’, allowing customers to see what a product looks like from behind.

Its commitment to the UK market is further reinforced by the establishment of Kapten & Son UK Limited, for which co-founder and CEO of the brand, Johannes Theobald, has been a director since March 2025.

Kapten & Son expansion is being led by Theobald alongside chief financial officer, Phil Pezus, and had already received further backing from an investment from Ardian Growth made in 2021, the first external funding since its founding. The brand is already present across 300 retail partners and throughout more than 50 countries.