So, Uh, Vogue x BAPE Is a Thing
This article was published on March 25 and updated on March 28
So, uh, Vogue Magazine and Japanese streetwear brand BAPE are joining forces for a collaborative capsule collection, and this time, it's not beer — not with Baby Milo around, at least.
Vogue's Japanese imprint, the obviously-named Vogue Japan, posted an Instagram image featuring BAPE's Ape Head branding above Vogue's logo, with a tiny "BAPE" inside the "O" where the "Japan" usually goes.
Vogue Italia and Salvator Zingrillo, Condé Nast's global production collaborations rep, also posted the graphic on their Instagram pages, reiterating the unexpected collaboration.
Set to drop on April 2 at BAPE's physical and online stores, the Vogue x A Bathing Ape collection includes unisex apparel and accessories for adults and kids, touting co-branded graphics and prints that embody an essence of street sophistication.
BAPE's recognizable ABC CAMO turns pretty-in-pink for its collab with Vogue, as featured on a wallet, bucket hat, hoodie and tee from the upcoming collection.
Meanwhile, a Baby Milo peeks over a Vogue x BAPE Magazine on a white tee. After his daily read, he catches some zzz's on the Vogue x BAPE mash-up logo, as seen on the collection's white hoodie.
The BAPE x Vogue collab may look like an unusual partnership at first but it's not as farfetched as you think.
Of course, BAPE rarely turns down collabs, having teamed up with almost everyone (and everything) from Netflix's Squid Game to M&M's.
Vogue and its sister mags aren't opposed to an occasional collab, either.
In February 2022, British Vogue dropped a collection with Off-White™ while Hiroshi Fujiwara's three-way Vogue Japan x fragment design x THE CONVENI drop went down in 2020, the same year as Vogue x KITH.
Not to mention, BAPE and Vogue have already been there and done the collab thing.
In 2017, BAPE designed a beer-inspired limited-edition capsule collection in honor of Vogue Japan's annual "Fashion Night Out" event.
With a Baby Milo present, there's not one alcoholic beverage in sight this time for Vogue and BAPE — just some sophisticated fashion reads on some classic graphic tees. You have to start 'em young with high fashion, right?
