Fashion

Iconic Japan Streetwear Brand A Bathing Ape Celebrates its 30th Anniversary at Tokyo Fashion Show

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Models line up at A Bathing Ape’s show in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.

By Rio Itami / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:00 JST, October 20, 2023

Streetwear brand A Bathing Ape presented its collection for the first time at the 2024 Spring/Summer Tokyo Fashion Week in the area of the city where the brand was founded.

Tokyo Fashion Week was held from late August to early September. The brand’s runway show took place at Tokyo’s Yoyogi No. 2 Gym. About 600 people packed into the venue to see the brand showcase more than 80 looks.

The brand, also known as Bape, was founded in the Harajuku area of Tokyo in 1993 by Nigo, who is currently the artistic director for Kenzo.

“In the late 1990s, ‘Ura-Hara’ (backstreet Harajuku) fashion was really trendy, and Ape was at the heart of it,” said fashion photographer Shoichi Aoki.

The show to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the brand was held in collaboration with By R, the Rakuten Group’s project to support talented designers and brands. Rakuten has served as the title sponsor for the event since 2019.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
From left: A model, wearing an oversized jacket, walks the runway while holding a basketball; a model is seen wearing large camouflage-patterned boots; a model wears a Bape Camo outfit.

The show highlighted such pieces as hoodies and pants adorned with the brand’s iconic Bape Camo camouflage pattern, big boots and blue plaid outfits. It was a testament to the brand’s firm position in the street fashion scene.

As the brand is popular among professional basketball players in the United States, a model walked the runway wearing an oversized jacket and shorts while holding a basketball. Another model was wearing a crop top, emphasizing the brand’s range of styles. After the show, fans eagerly took photos.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Mayu Tsukishiro wears a Bape Camo outfit to the show.

In recent years, Bape has become more popular among women.

“I’ve loved the brand’s sneakers and characters for a few years now because they’re so cute,” said model Mayu Tsukishiro, who wore a Bape Camo outfit to the show.

Akihiro Fukui, director of the brand business department at Nowhere Co., the operating company of the Bape brand and its stores, said, “I want to express my gratitude because we have collaborated with various artists over the years and have become a brand that is loved worldwide.”