bape
1993 in Ura-Harajuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, Japan
Back in 2011, Chinese apparel maker I.T Ltd. acquired a 90% stake in A Bathing Ape after the Japanese company had seen significant losses the previous years.
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 if officially started by NIGO.
By 1998, BAPE was sold in 40 stores across demand. 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 appearing on the likes of rap super 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 the stepping down of NIGO from the company. A Bathing Ape is then sold I.T Ltd, a Hong Kong fashion conglomerate.
In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, HUGO has shaken up its signature styling by bringing the British tailoring-inspired formalwear arm of A Bathing Ape, Mr. Bathing Ape, into the fold for a category-spanning collection – BAPESTAs included!
BAPE launches a highly coveted Hot Wheels collab.
BAPE launches another unexpected collaborative project with Vogue.
BAPE announces its NFT.
