BAPE®The influence of’s on mainstream fashion can be traced back to the early 00s.
Three years after its founding in 1993, BAPE® introduced a warped camouflage print that would skyrocket the brand to global notoriety. The iconic motif in question is BAPE® CAMOGraphic design is a trend that has influenced streetwear, sports apparel, decor, and homeware. First worn by Pharrell Williams You can also find out more about the following: Kanye West (Ye( ) in their respective In Search Of… (2001). College Dropout The design of the 2004 eras has captured today’s biggest stars and tastemakers.
In The latest episode Behind the HYPE, Hypebeast explores the beginnings of BAPE® CAMO, its ever-present cult following and its legacy of redefining a utilitarian pattern to stand out from the pack.
Founded By: Nigo (Tomoaki Nagao) in 1993, BAPE® (A Bathing Ape®) debuted its signature APE HEAD motif, inspired by the 1968 film Planet You can also check out the Apes The concept was conceptualized by a graphic designer Sk8thing (Shinichiro Nakamura), who ultimately shaped the design language of BAPE®’s early graphics. Other successful patterns followed, featuring BABY MILO®, BAPE® SHARK, and early ideations of the BAPE STA™️ sneakers. Even more synonymous with the ‘00s streetwear scene was BAPE®’s MANKEY-designed 1st CAMO pattern, spawning a series of collections from 1996 onward. It They merged a traditional pattern of camouflage and tactile utilitarian gear. Japanese street aesthetics. The First-ever CAMO Shark Hoodie Retailed for $500 USD, the item has evolved into a staple of streetwear and a sought-after collectible on resale websites.
A year later, BAPE® unveiled a vibrantly colored, psychedelic iteration of 1st CAMO. Coined ABC CAMO was the first to feature a slightly distorted APE HEAD. This head would later appear on various designs, in different colors and silhouettes. MANKEY’s BABY MILO®, released in 1999, ushered in an arsenal of pigmented T-shirts, hoodies and varsity jackets. Drawing Inspiration from the “Flying Tigers” and the iconic shark face designs applied to their planes, BAPE® introduced its first full-zip CAMO SHARK hoodie in 2004, featuring an open-jawed shark graphic decorating its needle-like hood.
With an iron grip on youth culture and a hunger to expand, BAPE® established its commercial appeal in categories outside of fashion. Crossover Collaborations with adidas, SUPREME, UNDERCOVER and adidas. Rimowa, mastermind Japan You can also find out more about the following: Swarovski Maximizing the label’s visibility at home and elsewhere. BAPE®’s eyewear and BAPEX® sub-labels also pay homage to the CAMO pattern as a ubiquitous symbol of streetwear. From the streets to the studio to highly stylized music videos, BAPE®’s CAMO is worn by leading names in music, such as Drake, Rihanna, Pusha T, Lil Uzi Vert, G-Dragon, Taeyang, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Wiz Khalifa, Soulja Boy, Future And more.
In 2009, BAPE® commemorated its 15th anniversary with a CAMO-covered art book, documenting the history and cultural impact of the pattern across pop culture. Throughout music and fashion, BAPE® has shown an ability to revitalize and reinvent its signature motifs, challenging the bounds of contemporary streetwear with eye-catching designs that captivate new consumers and collectors alike. As new stars rise to the fore, the allure and zeitgeist of BAPE® seem like fashionable initiation into the realm of Japanese Streetwear is a global phenomenon with unbreakable links to youth collectives.
Check out the video above for a deeper dive into BAPE®’s CAMO pattern. Head Over to BAPE.COM, US.BAPE.COM You can also find out more about the following: UK.BAPE.COM to browse and shop BAPE®’s Fall/Winter 2023 Collection. To Discover more about the most prominent names in fashion, tech, and much more. Explore other episodes of Hypebeast’s Behind the HYPE series.