BAPE and COMME des GARÇONS' CDG label are back at it again, gearing up to launch the next phase of their ongoing partnership. For their latest collaborative collection, the Japanese streetwear giants decide to hop in the stu' and look to BAPE's hip-hop upbringings for some inspo.
Nothing gets too crazy when it comes to BAPE x COMME des GARÇONS collab as the latest drop pretty much follows the chill vibe of their Fall/Winter 2021 rollout but with a sprinkle of BAPE founder NIGO's love for hip-hop — and the industry that loved him and his brand right back.
I'm not going to lie; the latest BAPE x COMME des GARÇONS pieces took me back a little, reminding me of the early 2000s BAPE gear, which earned co-signs from hip hop greats like Pharrell Williams, Lil Wayne, Ye, and Pusha T.
Take the collaborative jeans, for instance. The BAPE x COMME des GARÇONS jeans feature a bold front graphic on the front — you know, like the OG STA and Baby Milo jeans — while the famed Ape Head and co-branded mashup stamp the back pockets.
Since BAPE's basketball jerseys were hot-ticket items back in the day, the brand revives that feeling with its collaborative football jersey, dressing it with sporty CDG and BAPE details along with the signature floating Ape Head.
It's important to note that the collection's bling print tee revives CDG's archived gold chain — as seen on its Nike Shox TL collab — via an updated CDG-BAPE gold chain design.
In a way, the shirt also reiterates BAPE's hip-hop roots, recognizing the gold chain's longstanding relationship with rappers as symbols of status, attitude, and "making it big."
While you'll also find a couple of other classic summer-ready white graphic tees, socks, and fitted caps in the mix of the BAPE x COMME des GARÇONS collection, I hate to say it but don't expect any BAPE STAs or camo this time around.
The latest BAPE x COMME des GARÇONS collection may not showcase all of BAPE's classic motifs but longtime BAPE heads will surely appreciate the opportunity to revisit the NIGO-founded brand's hip-hop roots.
After all, without BAPE, we wouldn't have some of the defining fashion and cultural moments in the genre's history.
For those who can't wait for the channel early 2000s BAPE energy again this summer, the BAPE x COMME des GARÇONS collaboration arrives on April 29 via BAPE's shop at the COMME des GARÇONS's Osaka store.
