Licenses at the Ready — BAPE STAs Are Back on the Road
Brand: BAPE
Model: ROAD STA "Metallic"
Release Date: December 25
Price: $329
Buy: Online at BAPE
Editor's Notes: Move aside Air Force 1s, BAPE’s revival of its 2000s icon, the STA, is showing no signs of losing steam. There's no doubt about it, the BAPE STA has had its strongest year in recent history.
This is no happy accident, though. There's been a clear focus on ensuring the silhouette strikes back into the mainstream with a bang, using a carefully curated strategy that relies heavily on collaborations to showcase the best the sneaker has to offer. Some of the best BAPE-STA releases of 2021 have included Solebox, Stadium Goods, and of course, Highsnobiety.
For BAPE’s next trick, it'll have you pulling out your Nokia 3310 and downloading the ringtone of Soulja Boy’s “Crank That.” How? With a nostalgia-filled three-pack collection that reimagines the fan-favorite ROAD STA.
The theme of the collection is “Classic Reborn,” realized by taking the matte leather panels of the original colorways and refitting them with futuristic metallic hues. On offer, you'll find “Metallic Blue / Metallic Red,” “Metallic Green / Metallic Purple,” and “Metallic Red / Metallic Gold.” As far as statement kicks go, these are top-tier.
For those of you around in the ’00s, when BAPE’s lineup of STAs were all the rage, you‘ll remember that Pharrell had a set of ROAD-STAs that look very similar to this “Metallic” pack, which we’re sure is no accident. The OGs are impossible to find (or afford), so we’re glad BAPE is kind of giving us a second chance at them this year — on Christmas, no less.
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