Luciana Machado Simon

Luciana Machado Simon's connection to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu began not on the mats, but through the training journey of her brother, Marcelo Machado. As a child, she was immersed in the culture and community of BJJ as Marcelo developed under Francisco Mansur, a respected master whose influence shaped the Machado family's early trajectory in the art. That environment gave Luciana an intimate understanding of what the sport demanded — not only from its practitioners, but from those who supported and equipped them.

Marcelo went on to earn his black belt under Royler Gracie, cementing the family's place within the Gracie lineage and deepening their ties to BJJ's traditions. Gracie Tijuca, located in Rio de Janeiro, served as the early hub for this journey — the community where the Machado family's roots in the art took firm hold. Watching her brother train, absorbing academy life's rhythms, and internalizing the values of discipline and respect that defined the sport, Luciana built the essential foundation for what she would eventually create.

In 1994, Luciana and Marcelo Machado took their first steps toward what would become one of the most recognized fightwear brands in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, initially producing gis under the name Herculys Kimonos for Marcelo's students at Gracie Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro. The operation was modest in scope but deliberate in intent, built to serve a community they knew personally. MKimonos was officially established as a distinct brand in 1995, marking the formal launch of what would grow into a globally recognized fightwear company.

The early production process was far from seamless. Significant challenges with fabric durability forced Luciana and Marcelo to experiment extensively with materials and construction methods until they arrived at a solution that met their standards. Through persistence, they developed a distinctive and robust weave pattern that became a hallmark of MKimonos gis — earning a reputation for exceptional longevity that would define the brand's identity for decades.

From the outset, the brand's philosophy centered on traditional construction and durability, a deliberate contrast to the fashion-forward gi designs that began emerging as BJJ gained mainstream visibility. This commitment to substance over style was a founding principle, not an incidental choice. Luciana carried it forward as the brand expanded, cultivating relationships with academies and BJJ communities in Japan and beyond — bringing MKimonos to international markets through personal engagement rather than conventional marketing.

As MKimonos grew, the brand became closely associated with some of the most prominent figures in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Saulo Ribeiro, Vitor Ribeiro, and Royler Gracie were among the elite practitioners connected to the brand, lending MKimonos a credibility within the sport's upper tiers that resonated deeply with serious competitors and longtime practitioners alike.

Luciana personally sponsored elite competitors Xande Ribeiro and Saulo Ribeiro, aligning MKimonos with champions whose careers and conduct reflected the values she prioritized in her business. Her approach to sponsorship was deliberate and selective — she favored athletes who demonstrated professionalism, respect, and integrity, treating those qualities as inseparable from the brand's identity.

Rather than treating sponsorships as purely transactional marketing arrangements, Luciana built genuine, long-term friendships with the athletes she supported. This relationship-first philosophy extended equally to customers and fans. She has consistently credited the loyalty of the BJJ community as the foundation upon which MKimonos' sustained success was built, expressing deep gratitude to those who have supported the brand throughout its history.

Luciana Machado Simon has been a consistent and vocal champion of traditional gi construction, positioning durability and functionality as the defining virtues of a well-made kimono. As BJJ expanded rapidly in global popularity, a wave of new brands entered the market with bold aesthetics and fashion-conscious designs. Luciana's response was to hold firm to the standards that had earned MKimonos its reputation, treating the industry's turn toward flash as a trend rather than a direction worth following.

Her personal involvement in every aspect of the business — from fabric sourcing and manufacturing decisions to international sales and customer relationships — reflects a hands-on commitment to quality that few brand owners sustain as a company scales. This deep engagement allowed Luciana to preserve the integrity of the product even as production grew and markets diversified.

For Luciana, the gi carries meaning beyond its function as sportswear. She views it as a representation of BJJ's heritage and an expression of the respect owed to the art's traditions. This perspective resonated strongly with old-school practitioners who valued construction and longevity over novelty, helping MKimonos cultivate a loyal following that has spanned multiple generations of BJJ athletes.

Luciana Machado Simon relocated to the United States while continuing to manage MKimonos, positioning herself at the intersection of the brand's Brazilian origins and an expanding international customer base. From the US, she bridged those two worlds — maintaining the cultural authenticity and craftsmanship standards that defined the brand in Brazil while meeting the demands of a global market.

The relationships she built across academies and BJJ communities in Brazil and Japan were central to MKimonos achieving genuine international reach. These were not arms-length business connections but sustained, trust-based relationships formed through years of direct community engagement. Operating across multiple markets required Luciana to develop expertise spanning manufacturing logistics, international retail dynamics, and cross-cultural business — knowledge she accumulated through experience rather than formal training.

Despite the brand's geographic expansion, Luciana maintained a personalized approach to every aspect of the business, staying closely connected to the community that had supported MKimonos since its earliest days. Her trajectory — from a child observing her brother train in Rio de Janeiro to the longtime owner and driving force behind one of BJJ's most enduring fightwear brands — stands as a significant example of a woman assuming a leading entrepreneurial role in the BJJ industry from the sport's formative years onward, shaping not just a company but a lasting piece of the art's material culture.