| Bape Shoes
A Bathing Ape was started in 1993 by Nigo as a T-shirt brand, originating in the Harajuku area of Shibuya in Tokyo, becoming one of the first Japanese streetwear brands. Bape's logo and themes are derived from the original Planet of the Apes movies, while the brand's name is based on a common Japanese saying, "bathing in lukewarm water", describing the willingness of Japan's youth to follow popular trends.
Recently Bape has reached mainstream culture in the United States on account of popular entertainers wearing the brand, such as Pharrell Williams of hip hop production duo the Neptunes, the President of Def Jam Recordings, Jay-Z, R&B singer J. Hall, Kenny Tran From Seattle, Washington, Fall Out Boy and rap-artists Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy and The Clipse. Nigo has featured American artists, such as the lead singer of Good Charlotte and Pharrell Williams, in Bathing Ape advertisements and catalogue features. Due to the success of the creative live, Pharrell has collaborated on a clothing (Billionaire Boys Club) and sneaker (Ice Cream) line with its designer. The Ice Cream line of shoes is produced by rbk(Reebok) with input from Bathing Ape's Nigo. Bape's popularity in the United States was cemented when he opened the first American Bape store in New York City in 2004. |
