Mark Cho Has Acquired Menswear Brand Ring Jacket
The founder of The Armoury purchased the Osaka-based tailoring house following his exit from Drake's.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Men’s Clothing
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Mark Cho has acquired the renowned menswear brand Ring Jacket from founder Kunichi Fukushima. The deal follows Cho’s recent sale of his interest in Drake's.
Why it matters
The acquisition allows Cho to bring the iconic Japanese manufacturer under the umbrella of The Armoury. Fukushima sold the business due to a lack of a succession plan and his own retirement plans.
Founded in 1954 in Osaka, Ring Jacket now joins The Armoury, which was established in 2010 and operates four retail locations. The Armoury's in-house brand represents 80 percent of the company's total sales volume.
The players
Mark Cho
He is the founder of the menswear retailer The Armoury.
Ring Jacket
This is a prominent Japanese tailoring company founded in 1954.
Kentaro Nakagomi
He is the founder of the brand Coherence and the incoming creative director for The Armoury.
Kunichi Fukushima
He is the founder of Ring Jacket who sold the company to plan for his retirement.
The Armoury
This is a menswear retailer with four physical locations and a significant in-house design business.
The details
Mark Cho funded the purchase of Ring Jacket using proceeds from his divestment of Drake's in late 2025. Additionally, Kentaro Nakagomi of the brand Coherence has been appointed as the creative director for The Armoury.
Timeline
Ring Jacket was founded in Osaka in 1954.
The Armoury was established in Hong Kong in 2010.
Mark Cho sold his interest in Drake's at the end of 2025.
Kentaro Nakagomi will debut his first collection for The Armoury in New York on Oct. 21, 2026.
A real estate project in Tokyo overseen by Mark Cho is projected for completion in 2029.
Culture Shift
This acquisition reflects the broader consolidation of independent heritage menswear manufacturing brands under the control of retail entrepreneurs. It marks a departure from traditional outsourcing models, moving toward vertical integration to preserve specific craftsmanship standards.
Customers can expect to see the influence of new creative direction at The Armoury locations starting with the October 2026 collection debut. The acquisition may eventually lead to shifts in product availability and design language across the retail stores.
The takeaway
This move signals a strategic shift toward controlling the manufacturing pipeline to ensure long-term product viability for boutique retailers. Fans of classic menswear should watch for how the integration of Ring Jacket affects the design output of The Armoury’s future collections.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving retail landscape, see Men’s Clothing.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WWD.
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