One Monkey Is Taking Over The World

Not quite up to date with whats hot and whats not? Well one name that’ll give you some style is “A Bathing Ape” aka Bape. This off-beat hip-hop style of clothing is known for its intricately patterned sweaters, nike esque shoes and the ability to match clothes unlike any other brand before it. Originating out of Tokyo is its designer and creator Nigo, who has been gearing Bathing Ape for world domination the past decade.

“I don’t consider my brand merely a clothing brand,” said Nigo. With a Bape Cuts Hair Salon, Bape Cafe and Gallery, to the members only store in Hong Kong, a boutique in London, The Ape Sounds Record Label, and 25+ retail stores through out the globe, world domination is getting close.

You might be asking yourself “Well how did Bape get to be such a phenomenon?” It started off in 1993, with a back alley shop in Tokyo that kicked off his fashion; the original Busy Work Shop. “I wasn’t getting paid in those days. I just did it for fun.” Nigo said reminiscing. Soon after his clothes would consume Tokyo’s youth, and lines wrapping around whole buildings to his stores would become infamous. The Busy Work Shops found today are still mostly hidden and have little promotion in order to keep the brand’s mysteriousness. This is mostly due to Japan’s own trends of having “boom periods” and then subsiding. He doesnt want that for Bathing Ape, thus the emphasis on expanding it’s horizons. Furthering the goal to go beyond the borders of Japan, in order to diversify.

Adding more to Nigo’s fashion mogul status, is the increase of celebrities sporting his wear worldwide. From Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Mandy Moore, to fellow designer Pharrell Williams, Lupe Fiasco, Edison Chen and punk band Fall Out Boy.

To see a few of them, click images below.

So where can you cop yourself a Bape fit? Your best bet would be one of the only two official retail stores located in the United States, L.A.’s Busy Work Shop and New York’s Busy Work Shop. You can also browse numerous online stores, including Ebay as a last result (counterfeits are common here). Its the exclusiveness of Bathing Ape that keeps it’s popularity high, and people wanting more. But to just give a heads up, in order to help stop piracy of their clothes Bathing Ape allows only one purchase of every item from their stores per person, in that persons own size. So even if your a Hip-Hop Elite, looks like you’ll have to hop in line for some Bape Gear.

For more Bathing Ape Apparel check the official website at http://www.Bape.com

~ by triggahappy on February 16, 2007.