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About Bathing Ape Clothing


A Bathing Ape or simply put BAPE is a popular Japanese clothing company started by Tomoaki Nagao in 1993. Tomoaki Nagao also goes buy the name "Nigo". A Bathing Ape is most know for its urban and hip hop fashion, operating stores in Japan including BAPE, BAPE Store, Foot Soldier & the Bape Exclusive store which is located in Aoyama prefecture. A Bathing Ape also operates Bape Cuts hair salon, Bape Cafe and gallery, Bape Sounds records. A Bathing Ape has stores located in Hong Kong, London, New York, Taiwan and Los Angeles. Tomoaki Nagao also started a womens clothing line for Bape called "APEE", and "BAPY" which is the female "couture" clothing line.

A Brief History of Bape


Originally from Gunma Prefecture, Nigo cites his parents, who were a nurse and a bill board maker respectively, as major influences in the development of his character, although because they were working he spent a lot of time alone with toys. He also credits DJ/Head Porter designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, a generation older and one of Japan's earliest hip-hop DJs, as his business model. His nickname literally means "number two" in Japanese; the MD of Astoarobot, the fashion store, coined the moniker when he noted the physical resemblance to Fujiwara. Nigo cites his early influences as Elvis, The Beatles and hip-hop acts such as Run DMC and Woobens.

After studying fashion editing he worked as an editor for POPEYE magazine. After borrowing four million yen from an acquaintance, who also let him use his shop, he opened "Nowhere", his first store, on April 1, 1993 in Harajuku, Tokyo. Deciding to start his own brand he named it after the 1968 film, Planet of the Apes. According to Nigo the name "A Bathing Ape" is short for a Japanese saying "bathing in lukewarm water" which is supposed to be a spirtual practice -- a reference to Japanese young generation being spoiled, pampered and too complacent. To expose the brand he gave T-shirts to the lead singer of Cornelius who wore them when performing. For two years he produced 30 to 50 shirts a week, selling half and giving half to friends.

In January, 2005, Nigo and Pharrell Williams, an American producer, singer, rapper, and songwriter, launched the first "Bathing Ape" store in New York. Bathing Apes are now worn by many rappers. Nigo is also co-owner and head designer of Pharrell's Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear.