Bangalore: The Italian fashion sportswear brand Kappa, opened its first store in India in Bangalore earlier this week, accompanied by a theme launch branded, "Do the Kappa", which attracted several personalities from the mini metro.

Leading Bangalore-based personalities including badminton icon, Prakash Padukone, photographer Waseem Khan and model, designer and entrepreneur Mariam Handa, radio jockeys Chaitanya Hegde and Sheetal Iyer, marathoner Gul Mohammed, Asian Championship medalist and Arjuna Awardee Reeth Abraham, fitness evangelists Shardul and Satya Sinha, and consultant Harish Bijoor with wife Nina.

The brand roped-in Bangalore''s who''s-who to recreate the unique 40-year old logo, which is showcased as a ''Do the Kappa'' wall at the Kappa store, created with pictures of these celebrities, and unveiled by Fazle A Naqvi, executive director, LMG Brands India (P) Ltd.

Kappa is recognised across the world thanks to its unmistakable ''Omini'' logo. Forty years ago, a photographer during a shoot realised that he had more than just a pretty picture — a shot of a young man and woman sitting back-to-back, which formed the genesis of Kappa''s Omini logo.

Commenting on this occasion, Naqvi said, "The idea of recreating the Omini logo, 40 years after its birth, was an idea that excited all of us at the Kappa team. The underlying thought was to create a unique ''connect'' with our patrons and engage them with the brand in an innovative manner. We are delighted at the support extended by Bangalore''s leading personalities and are confident that our youthful consumers will be eager to ''Do the Kappa.''

Internationally, Kappa sponsors various sports disciplines of national football and golf teams, several top-level club sides in rugby, cycling, yachting and motor sports. Most recently, Kappa has become the official apparel partner of the Indian Rugby team.