BAPE (A Bathing Ape)

Japan

A Japanese streetwear brand that was founded in 1993 by Tomoaki Nagao, also known as Nigo. The brand is known for its bright, flashy aesthetic and has deep connections to hip-hop and street culture. BAPE's name is a satirical take on the Japanese idiom "A bathing ape in lukewarm water," which describes someone who overindulges. The brand's logo includes a reference to the 1968 film Planet of the Apes. BAPE's iconic camo print is a graphic that blends military camouflage and an abstraction of the ape face.