A Bathing Ape

Description

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.comIan 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. CN

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