BAPE - Behind A Popular Enterprise

What is it?

BAPE is the acronym for the largely popular urban apparel label, A Bathing Ape. World renown stars from Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, all the way to David Beckham have garnered BAPE on their frames. The ape and camouflage are it's most notable design.

What does it mean?

It is short for a Japanese saying "a bathing ape in lukewarm water." It is a reference to a generation that is young, spoiled, and complacent. (Lorraine Hahn, Talkasia)

Who's behind it?

Nigo, as the world knows him, keeps almost all personal aspects of his life well-guarded. His real name is Tomoaki Nagao. He founded A Bathing Ape in 1993, which began as a small store in trendy Harajuku, Japan.

Prior to opening up shop, Nigo was a student, magazine stylist, and a DJ. Creating and designing BAPE was totally a side job and hobby. When the time came, back in '93, he found a store owner who allowed him to borrow 4 million yen to start the business. Surprisingly, that same store owner leased the store to him as well. Little did Nigo know, would soon be repaid in a year's time.

When he first started producing shirts, he would make 50, give 30 away to friends and put 20 up for sale. It made zero business-savvy whatsoever. Therefore, the exclusivity of the brand was totally unintentional. The reason he didn't produce a large supply of each design was that he did not want everyone wearing the same clothes. Economics went into play to turn Nigo and his brand into a phenomenon. It wasn't long before magazines began calling him the boom of backstreet Harajuku fashion, and iconic (Lorraine Hahn, Talkasia).

What has his fame and fortune afforded him?

Nigo admits that he is quite materialistic, as the things he collects are an inspiration for new designs. He says that if all his collections were taken away from him, it'd be his end. He is known in Japanese as an "otaku" -- a collector. He collects guitars, cars, watches, action figures, art, and a host of other things which are worth millions.

In his home, he's got cars in their own rooms sitting on the hardwood floors. His car collection includes multiple Rolls Royce Phantoms, a Bugatti Veyron ($1.8 million car - fastest and most expensive street car built to date), Porsches, Ferraris, you name it. He collects things related to Star Wars and has a huge admiration for George Lucas' hands-on and 100% control approach to his franchise.

What is the current state of BAPE?

Nigo still owns 100% of the company and has full artistic control over each design. BAPE currently has 33 stores across Japan and numerous other stores across Asia, Europe, and the US, in cities like London and New York. He also operates a BAPE music label, cafes, and hair salons.

Pharrell Williams has collaborated with Nigo to produce his own ever so-popular and ultra-exclusive/ultra-expensive lines of Apparel Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream.

He has collaborated with the likes of Kanye West and other American hip-hop artists to produce music for his BAPE music label.

So, what's next?

Nigo wants to open up a "lifestyle" hotel. A hotel, that embodies "cool," separating itself from all the rest. Nigo likes to do things his own way, and cares little for the criticism from others. To each his own, Nigo!

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