Founded in the mid-1990s and now a leading force in global fashion, *A Bathing Ape®—or simply Bape—redefined the height of urban cool for a new generation of Tokyo hipsters. The creation of a young, enigmatic designer simply known as Nigo, Bape has rapidly become one of the most exclusive and sought-after youth brands in Europe and America. With a core product line of limited-edition hip-hop apparel distinguished from its mass-produced competitors by superior manufacture and detailing, the franchise has since expanded to include everything from edgy updates of the classic Chanel suit to an entire catalog of patent-leather sneakers, a full line of women’s accessories, collectible vinyl toys, fragrances and its own très-cool indie record label. Spawning collaborations with Pepsi, adidas, M.A.C. Cosmetics and SONY, *A Bathing Ape® is at once a worldwide fashion phenomenon and a leading barometer of the inexorable rise of Japanese pop culture in America.*A Bathing Ape® has famously cultivated a die-hard following among hip-hop royalty, and is the clothier to multiple Grammy-winning artists such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, the Beastie Boys, Nas, MosDef, Usher and Pharrell Williams; and J-POP stars Puffy AmiYumi. Employing an unparalleled mix of swagger and elegance, populism and cultish exclusivity, Bape’s commitment to the new, and a dizzying capacity for reinvention has ensured its unique place in contemporary fashion.
"A Bathing Ape by Rizzoli, an introspective - and colorfully stylish- romp through the history of the company's hit stores and sites." ~Vibe
"A Bathing Ape label gets the coffee-table treatment with a massive new monograph charting the company’s global evolution." ~Hint Magazine
"This book lays out the history, the look and the vibe." ~The Miami Herald
"...the first large-format look at the Tokyo-based urban fashion label anointed by Time magazine as Japan's King of Cool. " ~Fashiontribes.com
"Some people get braces when they turn 15. Others throw a party. But A Bathing Ape got its very own book." ~Nylonmag.com
Ian Luna is the author and editor of several books on architecture, urbanism and design for Rizzoli. Akio Iida is an art director based in Tokyo.
Founded in the mid-1990s and now a leading force in global fashion, *A Bathing Ape®—or simply Bape—redefined the height of urban cool for a new generation of Tokyo hipsters. The creation of a young, enigmatic designer simply known as Nigo, Bape has rapidly become one of the most exclusive and sought-after youth brands in Europe and America. With a core product line of limited-edition hip-hop apparel distinguished from its mass-produced competitors by superior manufacture and detailing, the franchise has since expanded to include everything from edgy updates of the classic Chanel suit to an entire catalog of patent-leather sneakers, a full line of women’s accessories, collectible vinyl toys, fragrances and its own très-cool indie record label. Spawning collaborations with Pepsi, adidas, M.A.C. Cosmetics and SONY, *A Bathing Ape® is at once a worldwide fashion phenomenon and a leading barometer of the inexorable rise of Japanese pop culture in America.*A Bathing Ape® has famously cultivated a die-hard following among hip-hop royalty, and is the clothier to multiple Grammy-winning artists such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, the Beastie Boys, Nas, MosDef, Usher and Pharrell Williams; and J-POP stars Puffy AmiYumi. Employing an unparalleled mix of swagger and elegance, populism and cultish exclusivity, Bape’s commitment to the new, and a dizzying capacity for reinvention has ensured its unique place in contemporary fashion.
Praise
"A Bathing Ape by Rizzoli, an introspective - and colorfully stylish- romp through the history of the company's hit stores and sites." ~Vibe
"A Bathing Ape label gets the coffee-table treatment with a massive new monograph charting the company’s global evolution." ~Hint Magazine
"This book lays out the history, the look and the vibe." ~The Miami Herald
"...the first large-format look at the Tokyo-based urban fashion label anointed by Time magazine as Japan's King of Cool. " ~Fashiontribes.com
"Some people get braces when they turn 15. Others throw a party. But A Bathing Ape got its very own book." ~Nylonmag.com
Author
Ian Luna is the author and editor of several books on architecture, urbanism and design for Rizzoli. Akio Iida is an art director based in Tokyo.
