A Bathing Ape (BAPE), has had its foot on the neck of streetwear culture for over two decades. What started as an exclusive, small start-up in Japan has grown into one of the most well recognised streetwear brands in the world.
The Hoxton Trend takes a brief yet detailed journey through the legacy of BAPE and where you can cop brand new BAPE garments with 30% off.
Nigo, the famous founder of BAPE, established the brand in 1993. Nigo and his high school friend would go on to open their first fashion store NOWHERE in Japan. The two also had great assistance from the “Godfather of Harajuku,” Hiroshi Fujiwara – a formidable character in Japan’s streetwear scene.
Not long after NOWHERE opened, Nigo used it as the flagship store for BAPE. The name ‘A Bathing Ape’ comes from the Japanese phrase, “a bathing ape in lukewarm water,” which refers to youth who lived sheltered lives and mainly focused on school.
The brand name is also a reference to the film franchise The Planet of the Apes. This also opened the door for the famous “ape” logo that still features on much of BAPE‘s clothing.
BAPE BY *A BATHING APE®
Logo-Embroidered Crew-Neck Sweatshirt – Black
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Throughout the 1990s, Nigo would limit himself to making fifty BAPE shirts a week and would give half of them to industry figures and creatives to generate buzz. It was this type of exclusivity that gave BAPE its early success.
By 1998, there was over forty stores in Japan that sold BAPE pieces, Nigo then decided to pull it from those stores and only sell BAPE from one location. Shockingly, after this moment the brand’s sales were equal and possibly even slightly better from selling out of one store instead of forty.
BAPE BY *A BATHING APE®
Logo-Print Sweatshirt – Black
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2002 rolls around and Nigo introduces the world to the famous Bapesta shoe, which bared resemblance to Nike’s Air Force 1 design.
Pharrell Williams, a member of N.E.R.D. at the time, was one of the very first artists to regularly boast the brand in the United States. Pharrell and Nigo shared a similar fashion style and the two would eventually meet in Tokyo, thus beginning an iconic streetwear duo.
Pharrell’s admiration for BAPE helped the brand reach new heights in the United States. In 2005, the duo co-created the brand Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream. BAPE was developing into a staple within streetwear and hip-hop culture, which would then help guide the way into BAPE’s “golden age.”
BAPE BY *A BATHING APE®
Logo-Print Drawstring Hoodie – Cedar Brown
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With the help of artists such as Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and of course Pharrell, BAPE become a best-seller in American markets during the mid-2000s. The Bapesta shoes also soon became a staple and helped launch BAPE’s two flagship stores in NYC and LA.
In 2006, Kanye West custom designed his pair of Bapesta shoes that featured the famous “Graduation Bear.” This was one of Kanye’s earliest fashion ventures, years before the success of his Yeezy line.
2005-2008 is widely considered the “golden age” for BAPE, but the brand his since outlasted this period and is still one of the most sought-after streetwear brands today.
BAPE BY *A BATHING APE®
Shark-Print Zipped Sweatshirt – Black
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Nigo sold BAPE in 2011 but remained the creative director until 2013. Despite Nigo’s departure, BAPE is still very much thriving in today’s market and the brand is celebrated in streetwear culture all around the world.
From its humble beginnings, BAPE transcended fashion and became one with streetwear culture, especially during the mid-2000s. It is one of the greatest streetwear brands ever and BAPE’s legacy is still developing to this day.
BAPE BY *A BATHING APE®
Graphic-Print Bermuda Shorts – Black
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To view more BAPE garments at a discounted rate, just follow the links to the latest Farfetch sale with up to 60% off a wide variety of street-ready brands and labels.
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