The footwear industry was forever changed with the released of the Bathing Ape shoes. It was finally official, hip hop and urban trends were a huge market - even in Japan. The Bathing Ape shoes were very very unique and trend setting. Though the Bathing Ape shoes took inspiration from the Nike Air Force Ones, they were extremely different fundamentally.
The goal of the Bathing Ape shoes was never to be an athletic shoe, but rather a limited sneaker that no one else would have ever seen or dreamed of. The shiny patent leather and bright colors separated the Bathing Ape shoes from all other casual shoes. Not only did these features set the Bathing Ape shoes apart from the others, but really caught someone’s eye when look to buy a new pair of sneakers.
Bathing Ape shoes
Starting at approximately $200 per pair, the Bathing Ape shoes are much more expensive than their Nike Air Force Ones counterpart, but the Bathing Ape shoes (most famous Bape Stas) are much more limited than the Air Force Ones. Many of the Bathing Ape shoes were made in runs of 200 and less! Compare that the the super limited Air Force One Lux was made in 3,000 pairs and sold for about the same price.Finding Bathing Ape shoes is pretty hard in the US. There are some sneaker boutiques who have a few pairs at any given moment, but the sure bet way to find an authentic pair of Bathing Ape shoes is to take a trip to New York’s Soho district and get a pair from the Footsoldier store. Bathing Ape shoes start at $190 per pair which is alot less than what you would pay if you wanted to grab a pair from Vintage Kicks but they probably won’t be an exclusive edition. Also, as a word of wisdom, don’t buy any Bape Stas from any online sites unless its Vintage Kicks since there is a flood of fake Bathing Ape shoes sold online.
Source Nicekicks.com
A Bathing Ape or BAPE is a Japanese clothing company founded by Nigo (real name Tomoaki Nagao) in 1993. The company specializes in urban and hip-hop fashion, operating stores in Japan including BAPE, BAPE Store, Foot Soldier and the BAPE Exclusive store which is located in Aoyama, Tokyo. The company also operates BAPE Cuts hair salon, BAPE Café and gallery, BAPE Sounds records. There are stores located in Hong Kong, London, New York, Taipei and Los Angeles. Nigo also founded the women’s clothing lines “APEE” which is the female version of BAPE, and “BAPY” which is the female “couture” clothing line.
Originally from Gunma Prefecture, Nigo cites his mother and father, who were a nurse and a billboard maker respectively, as major influences in the development of his character. Although, because they were working, he also spent a lot of time alone with toys. He also credits DJ/Head Porter designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, a generation older and one of Japan’s earliest hip-hop DJs, as his business model. His nickname literally means “number two” in Japanese; the MD of Astoarobot, the fashion store, coined the moniker when he noted the physical resemblance to Fujiwara. Nigo cites his early influences as Elvis, The Beatles and hip-hop acts such as Run DMC and Woobens.
After studying fashion editing at college, he worked as an editor and stylist for Popeye magazine. After borrowing four million yen from an acquaintance, who also let him use his shop, he opened “Nowhere”, his first store, on April 1, 1993 in Harajuku, Tokyo. Deciding to start his own brand he named it after the 1968 film, Planet of the Apes. According to Nigo, the name “A Bathing Ape” is short for a Japanese saying “bathing in lukewarm water” which is supposed to be a spiritual practice – a reference to the younger Japanese generation being spoiled, pampered and too complacent. To expose the brand he gave T-shirts to the lead singer of Cornelius who wore them when performing. For two years he produced 30 to 50 shirts a week, selling half and giving half to friends.
In January 2005, Nigo and Pharrell Williams, an American producer, singer, rapper, and songwriter, launched the first “Bathing Ape” store in New York.[5] Nigo is also co-owner and head designer of Pharrell’s Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear.[6] In 2006, Nigo and N-Kei Enzaki started a record company, Ape Sounds, with help from James Lavelle, a UK DJ and owner of the Mo’ Wax label. He serves as a producer and director for his CDs, blending Western hip-hop with Asian sounds.
Source Wikipedia.org
