Table Of Content
By 1998, there were about 40 stores across Japan carrying the brand, but Nigo made the audacious decision to stop all wholesale business and concentrate all of his efforts on a single flagship store in Tokyo. The basic streetwear combination of hype, scarcity, and public spectacle was created, and it is possible that this was the beginning of the queue culture that we now know and love (or hate). Nigo, a well-known devotee of 20th-century popular culture, incorporated references to the Japanese proverb, "A bathing ape in lukewarm water," as well as the name and distinctive BAPE emblem into his love of the 1968 movie Planet of the Apes.
BAPE's Beginnings and Its Famous Logo
The key to BAPE’s longevity in an increasingly saturated streetwear scene is its approach to production. NIGO’s early move to produce BAPE garments in factories that specialized in workwear labels was a master stroke that established the brand’s reputation for quality. Likewise, BAPE’s Japanese-made products rightfully warranted the premium price tag thanks to their traditional high-level craftsmanship. Working with other brands of the same ilk when it came to quality, such as Supreme and Porter, only cemented this position. Founded in Japan by designer NIGO in 1993, BAPE remains not only a streetwear staple, but an undeniable cultural phenomenon.
Pharrell's Billionaire Boys Club Unveils Limited Edition Astronaut Sculpture by Michael Kagan
Those who wanted to shop at the store had to undergo an application process that involved obtaining a Hong Kong passport. Around this time, rappers such as the Notorious B.I.G. also began to wear the brand as its popularity began to skyrocket. Throughout the 1990s, Nigo only made about fifty shirts a week and would give half of them to creatives and influencers to generate buzz. By 1998, over forty stores sold the brand, yet Nigo decided to pull it from those stores and only sell it in one central location. Amazingly, the brand's sales were equal, and possibly better, out of that one store than in all forty. Drawing inspiration from nature, artist duo Oso de Agua renders Ape Head in an abstract setting.
All Brands
Visual details refer to the magnified structure of natural organisms, resulting in an organic, abstract pattern and colorful palette. Ilizarbe contrasts the iconic warped Ape Head logo with angular line-work, with gridded graphic line- work hiding a message in plain sight, much like traditional camouflage. Each square is a letter of the English alphabet, re-interpreted to create an encrypted code. The all-star line-up sees new styles added this Spring/Summer season, with high- and low-tops and various styles sporting high-quality materials, and a rainbow of colors and designs — just the thing to step up the daily fit. Calling all collectors — spot BAPE® PLAY figurines and art toys on display, collected over the years since the brand’s founding.
A BATHING APE® x READYMADE
Joined NIGO’s other nonfashion ventures, which included the BAPE CUTS beauty salon and the BAPE GALLERY, housed in the Kyoto store, which acted as a space for BAPE-sponsored art events and exhibitions. Cited as the leader of a contemporary Californian psychedelic-pop aesthetic, Los Angeles–based artist and designer Steven Harrington is best known for his bright, iconic style that encourages a two-way conversation between artist and viewer. The timeless quality in his playful yet contemplative work is inspired by California’s mystique, vastly diverse landscape and thriving mix of cultures. Embracing a multimedia approach, Harrington’s portfolio includes large-scale installations made of fiberglass and steel, hand painted canvases, limited-edition books, skateboards, and sculptures.
Whether it's making a bold statement with the striking red edition or opting for a classic look with the sleek black or pristine white options, the BAPE STA™ is set to become an essential addition to any sneaker collection. Made with great care and attention to every detail, the BAPE STA™ showcases a perfect blend of luxury and streetwear aesthetics. The shoe boasts a sleek silhouette and is constructed from high-quality calf leather, ensuring durability and comfort. Each pair is meticulously embossed with the distinctive BAPE® LINE CAMO pattern, adding a touch of urban flair to its timeless design.
As a result, some of these limited edition items can become highly sought after and sell for much higher prices than their original retail value. The brand has collaborated with many artists, including Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and Kid Cudi, to name a few. The designs feature bold graphics, camo prints, and bright colors that have become synonymous with the brand. Japanese streetwear brand, BAPE, has had a hold on Hip-Hop fashion for over two decades. What began as an exclusive brand in Japan in the 1990s has now become a cultural phenomenon, especially in the Hip-Hop sphere.
©SAINT Mxxxxxx and A BATHING APE Drop Second Iconographic Collaboration - HYPEBEAST
©SAINT Mxxxxxx and A BATHING APE Drop Second Iconographic Collaboration.
Posted: Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Joshua Maupin — creator of LILKOOL Studios, is a Brooklyn-based graffiti writer-turned-painter with a soft spot for the bold lines of classic cartoonists. Inspired by 1990s culture and its accompanying skate scene, LILKOOL pays homage to pop art legends through his colorful works, while simultaneously drawing inspiration from the streets of New York City, classic cartoon culture and the underground 1970s comic book scene. Though he stayed with the company for two years as a Creative Director, he quickly launched his new brand, Human Made. Drawing from Nigo’s fascination with vintage American workwear, Human Made saw the designer working with Japanese reproduction specialists Warehouse Japan on creating high quality clothing inspired by authentic pieces from Nigo’s archive. Secondly, with its blobby, “hyperflat” design inspired by traditional duck-hunting camouflage, BAPE camo brings the glossy, cartoon-esque, fun and fantastical element of Japanese fashion to life without being kitschy or corny.
Other Footwear Brands
Established in 2002, BAPE GALLERY™ by Japanese label A BATHING APE® is an inclusive art platform that advocates for diversity in creativity, bridging fashion with art, culture, music, and more to present groundbreaking contemporary innovations from Japan to the world. BAPE tied up 2017 with the announcement of their second European retail space, this time in Paris. To celebrate the new store opening, BAPE decked a Jaguar F-Pace is red/white/blue BAPE cloud camo (vive la France) and drove it around some of the French capital's most iconic locations. Also known as the ‘Cloud Camo’, the iconic BAPE Camo print is perhaps the most fascinating element of the brand, as a graphic which has totally transcended streetwear to become one of the most iconic motifs of the past two decades.
BAPE's quick popularity meant that it became more of a fad or fleeting trend than the slow and carefully maintained excitement that it had built in Japan. BAPE's sizing tends to run smaller compared to Western sizes, as it is a Japanese brand. However, in terms of fit, BAPE is known for its oversized look, which means that even though the sizing may be smaller, the actual garment is designed to fit loosely and provide a relaxed, comfortable feel. It's important to refer to the brand's size chart before making a purchase and to consider sizing down for a more accurate fit.
Many of the pieces ended up selling for prices far beyond the estimates, proving yet again that outsiders will always underestimate the fanboyism of streetwear heads. The BAPE STA 93 HI sees a unique supporting side cage set around luxurious leather, with the Light Grey / Black color way patterned in a faux crocodile skin design. The design has the rubber “93” badge around the side and the signature BAPE logo embroidered into the heel, like other shoes released this season. The monochrome palette of the Light Grey / Black model lends a sleek, modern feel to the design, while the warm, earthy tones of the Light Sand / Red Orange color way offers a touch more vibrancy.
As for the USA, beyond the BAPE shop in New York, many of the heavyweight streetwear retailers such as RSVP Chicago and Concepts Boston are certified stockists of the brand, while Undefeated’s stores have got the West coast well and truly covered. In the UK, there’s now a permanent BAPE shop in London’s Selfridges department store, decked out in the brand’s inimitable camo and neon décor, while END.’s two brick-and-mortar locations in Newcastle and Glasgow have got the Northern customers well-catered for. Fortunately that’s not so much the case these days, with the BAPE online store offering a healthy selection of product over at bape.com, as well as trusted retailers like END., Selfridges and Undefeated coming through with a strong offer every season. Even looking for older pieces and forgotten relics is much easier thanks to the likes of Grailed, Depop and Facebook buyer/seller groups, whilst eBay has become a much easier place to navigate.
That was it; BAPE entered the cultural zeitgeist and claimed its throne as the pinnacle of flashy, expensive streetwear. Alongside Neighborhood, Hysteric Glamour and other such brands, A Bathing Ape and Nowhere helped to define the "Urahara" style of the ’90s. Urahara comes from the term ‘ura-Harajuku’ which basically means “underground Harajuku” – the underground scene going during the early ‘90s which was heavily informed by a mixture of various American clothings and styles. With its mixture of imported American street and sportswear and pioneering Japanese streetwear labels like WTaps-predecessor Forty Percents Against Rights, Nowhere quickly became a cornerstone of the burgeoning ura-Harajuku scene, with Nigo as one of its figureheads. Around this time, Nigo met Jun Takahashi (of UNDERCOVER), and the pair went on to found retailer NOWHERE, the very first stockist of BAPE when Nigo established the brand shortly thereafter.
The brand has seen a resurgence in popularity, with youngsters keen to own clothing featuring the iconic BAPE camo pattern. But the rich history of the brand and its creator, Nigo, often seems to be forgotten. The brand's name, A Bathing Ape, came from the Japanese phrase, "a bathing ape in lukewarm water," which referred to youth who lived sheltered lives and only focused on school.
No comments:
Post a Comment