bape
1993 in Ura-Harajuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, Japan, though parent company I.T Ltd. is based in Hong Kong
Back in 2011, Hong Kong company I.T Ltd. acquired a 90% stake in A Bathing Ape after the Japanese company had seen significant losses the previous years. It then wholesale purchased BAPE from NIGO.
No. BAPE is currently owned by I.T Ltd.
A hot topic among those in the hip hop community, BAPE started to garner even more popularity after seen on the likes of Notorious B.I.G, Soulja Boy, The Clipse, Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne
BAPE stands for A Bathing Ape — first and foremost a term that pays homage to NIGO’s favorite film, Planet of the Apes. It is also a reference to the Japanese idiom ‘a bathing ape in lukewarm water’, a tongue-in-cheek nod to the overindulgence of the streetwear obsessed youths
A Bathing Ape is officially founded by NIGO.
By 1998, BAPE was sold in 40 stores across Japan. To increase interest in the label, NIGO would only supply 10% of overall demand.
BAPE continues to explode in popularity across Japan and slowly begins to make its way West, eventually appearing on the likes of rapper Notorious B.I.G.
Around this time BAPE collaborates with Pepsi and NIGO links up with Pharrell Williams for the first time.
BAPE officially enters the US market, opening stores in New York and LA.
Kanye West designs his own BAPESTA sneaker.
BAPE accrues financial issues leading to NIGO stepping down from the company.
A Bathing Ape is then sold to I.T Ltd, a Hong Kong fashion conglomerate.
HUGO shook up the British tailoring-inspired BAPE sub-label, Mr. Bathing Ape, with a collaboration that included apparel and BAPESTAs alike.
BAPE launches a highly coveted Hot Wheels collab.
BAPE launches an inexplicable collaborative project with Vogue Japan.
BAPE announces its debut NFT collection. It’s decried by fans but sells nonetheless.
