Bathing Ape ?

[deemrock]

Originally posted by Fade to Black@Dec 9 2004, 04:47 PM
I don't think Bape is THAT cool...they make nice sneakers and army jackets, but for the most part the clothing is overpriced and poor quality. A Bape Busy Works tee I bought developed a hole in it after less than half a year of wear...so I cut up the hem and sleeves and distressed it a la Number (N)ine's Anti-Bush tees. Now THAT'S cool B)

BTW, I think Bape is definitely on its way to oversaturation in North America...Complex magazine even listed it as the #1 brand in the world it's only a matter of time, oversaturation seems to be Nigo's goal, like he wants to make a crapload of money then exit.

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Thats interesting you say that cause I wore my BAPE t-shirt once and it got those fuzzy knubby things on em... where my laptop bag was rubbing on it all day, so yeah id agree and say the quality is definately sub-par....

Oversaturation hmmm I gotta check out that COMPLEX mag article.. I think its wayyy too expensive of a "streetwear brand" to really hit the US that hard... I think people in the U.S. would rather pay that much for couture...

As for NIGO making a crapload of money, I think he has already achieved that goal... ha ha HIS STORES in TOKYO are amazing.. I had seen nothing like it.. and ironically they had very little to sell..LOL

 

[kristi evert]

I don't like it.

 

[raijin]

bape is the opposite of cool.
I respect Nigo, but his clothing is

 

[kristi evert]

B A =

B A D

 

[macchiom]

I don’t get it at all. I’m yet to see a single Bape item I like and design wise it’s nothing special. Furthermore my suspicion that the quality is sub-par has been confirmed here.

But as long as they are able to create hype and get celebs to wear it, good for them as they will make tons of money until the brand inevitably burns out.

Smart marketing is all there is to it really.

 

[faust]

Originally posted by macchiom@Dec 10 2004, 10:10 AM
I don’t get it at all. I’m yet to see a single Bape item I like and design wise it’s nothing special. Furthermore my suspicion that the quality is sub-par has been confirmed here.

But as long as they are able to create hype and get celebs to wear it, good for them as they will make tons of money until the brand inevitably burns out.

Smart marketing is all there is to it really.

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2nd.

From what I've seen Bape is the Japanese Rogan. But I will hold my tongue with further comments until I walk into the Bape store in Soho and physically see for myself. The store is looking cool though, they have some weird metal meat- slicing looking thing going on.

 

[Fade to Black]

Originally posted by faust@Dec 10 2004, 10:44 AM
2nd.

From what I've seen Bape is the Japanese Rogan. But I will hold my tongue with further comments until I walk into the Bape store in Soho and physically see for myself. The store is looking cool though, they have some weird metal meat- slicing looking thing going on.

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I have a strange feeling we won't see that store open for quite some time...i'm placing bets on 2006

And after reading macchiom's post it just hit me...there is NO design to any of Bape's garments...as a TFS'er once said (I forgot who) it's just clothing, not fashion. Just tees and sweatshirts with images printed on them, there's no attention to cutting or details or anything like that.

 

[AlexN]

I'm basically echoing what everyone else is saying, but I don't get the appeal at ALL. Definitely not much design going on, if any. The last pair of Bape shoes I saw looked like copies of a skate shoe from the late '90s. I'm not sure how much the Bape shoes costed, but the skate shoe looked better and retailed for $60 if I remember correctly.

 

[faust]

Originally posted by Fade to Black@Dec 10 2004, 11:20 AM
I have a strange feeling we won't see that store open for quite some time...i'm placing bets on 2006

And after reading macchiom's post it just hit me...there is NO design to any of Bape's garments...as a TFS'er once said (I forgot who) it's just clothing, not fashion. Just tees and sweatshirts with images printed on them, there's no attention to cutting or details or anything like that.

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Why do you say that? I see the work on the store going full speed.

 

[Fade to Black]

Originally posted by faust@Dec 10 2004, 02:04 PM
Why do you say that? I see the work on the store going full speed.

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oh nevermind then...I just thought there were constant delays on the store opening because of the conflict with Nike over whether or not the Bapestas were allowed to be sold in the U.S.

and AlexN, the current Bapestas are basically variants of Nike's Air Force One. There's been other variants, such as the Adidas Skull shoe and (recently) something resembling the Nike dunk.

 

[deemrock]

Originally posted by faust+Dec 10 2004, 02:04 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faust @ Dec 10 2004, 02:04 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Why do you say that? I see the work on the store going full speed.

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Are you guys talking about the London store?? I thought it was open already??

<!--QuoteBegin-Fade to Black@Dec 10 2004, 03:10 PM
oh nevermind then...I just thought there were constant delays on the store opening because of the conflict with Nike over whether or not the Bapestas were allowed to be sold in the U.S.

and AlexN, the current Bapestas are basically variants of Nike's Air Force One. There's been other variants, such as the Adidas Skull shoe and (recently) something resembling the Nike dunk.

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I will admit that the styles do resemble other shoes here are picks to proove it, but when have the japanese ever invented something new?? They are masters of taking existing ideas and making it better...

I can vouch and say the shoes are pretty high quality..

Skullstas (variation of adidas shelltoe)

Bapesta Force 1 Low (Variation of nike dunk)

 

[Fade to Black]

Originally posted by deemrock@Dec 10 2004, 03:19 PM

Bapesta Force 1 Low (Variation of nike dunk)

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the Bapesta Force low is actually a variant of the Air Force One, not the dunk. Their version of the Dunk is the Bapesta Skate.

the shoes are the same quality as the Nike shoes...no better, no worse. I have a pair of Bapestas and they've been picking up creases and wear in the same amount of time just as my Nikes have.

 

[deemrock]

Originally posted by Fade to Black@Dec 10 2004, 03:47 PM
the Bapesta Force low is actually a variant of the Air Force One, not the dunk. Their version of the Dunk is the Bapesta Skate.

the shoes are the same quality as the Nike shoes...no better, no worse. I have a pair of Bapestas and they've been picking up creases and wear in the same amount of time just as my Nikes have.

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ooop thanks for the heads up i'm horrible at NIKE model names.. ha ha..

Yeah I have the Force 1's in Italy colorway patent material... and they are doing great!!

I love them...

But yeah thier tee's are not good quality I have 2 of them, one has the nubbies already forming and the other I washed once and the print faded a bit but I should have known because it was a heat transfer print..

Although I do have a BAPE button up shirt which is really high quality..

 

[faust]

We are talking about the NYC store, deemrock.

 

[AlexN]

Jeez, it's just Adidas and Nike shoes with the star logo and a much bigger price tag. I just don't see the point.

 

[Fade to Black]

Originally posted by AlexN@Dec 10 2004, 04:04 PM
Jeez, it's just Adidas and Nike shoes with the star logo and a much bigger price tag. I just don't see the point.

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Basically. But I have to give Bape credit in that they occasionally make shoes Nike and Adidas would NEVER come up with, in the use of colors, materials, etc. Nike is too conservative to release sneakers such as the Patent leather Bapestas that are bursting with color. Also I think Bathing Ape's collaboration with Adidas was brilliant, the camouflage skull shoe and the grey/black snake high tops are smart interpretations of Adidas classics, and I also think the Stan Smith-like all white Skull Shoe was pretty interesting (but my least favorite of the trio).

But yes, I agree with you in that for the most part people are paying $200+ for AF1 rip offs. I myself was a victim of this last summer

 

[deemrock]

Originally posted by Fade to Black+Dec 10 2004, 04:11 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Fade to Black @ Dec 10 2004, 04:11 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Basically. But I have to give Bape credit in that they occasionally make shoes Nike and Adidas would NEVER come up with, in the use of colors, materials, etc. Nike is too conservative to release sneakers such as the Patent leather Bapestas that are bursting with color. Also I think Bathing Ape's collaboration with Adidas was brilliant, the camouflage skull shoe and the grey/black snake high tops are smart interpretations of Adidas classics, and I also think the Stan Smith-like all white Skull Shoe was pretty interesting (but my least favorite of the trio).

But yes, I agree with you in that for the most part people are paying $200+ for AF1 rip offs. I myself was a victim of this last summer

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Yep Yep and Yep!!! They rawk shoes nice and HAWT!!! I love alot of thier shoes... I don't like the skully's much either myself... When I was @ footsoldier that was pretty much the only style they had stock of but I told em that I came a long way and i'm not leaving till they give up the goods, they finally broke down and hooked me up with the ITALY AF1's..... ha ha Yeah luckily I didn't pay the heft price tag I have seen out here, they go for 155.00 yen in tokyo which is about 130.00 U.S.D. but my stupid *** should have baught more cause I didn't realize they sell for so much here in the western hemisphere..

Although any peeps who like BAPE but dont want to pay top dollar can find some good ones on EBAY... theres one guy from japan that sells em for 160.00

<!--QuoteBegin-faust@Dec 10 2004, 04:01 PM
We are talking about the NYC store, deemrock.

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Dammit dammit dammit I hope the NYC store does amazing so that they can open another in LA... I expect full reports once its open guys ha ha

 

[Fade to Black]

Originally posted by deemrock@Dec 10 2004, 04:35 PM
Yep Yep and Yep!!! They rawk shoes nice and HAWT!!! I love alot of thier shoes... I don't like the skully's much either myself... When I was @ footsoldier that was pretty much the only style they had stock of but I told em that I came a long way and i'm not leaving till they give up the goods, they finally broke down and hooked me up with the ITALY AF1's..... ha ha Yeah luckily I didn't pay the heft price tag I have seen out here, they go for 155.00 yen in tokyo which is about 130.00 U.S.D. but my stupid *** should have baught more cause I didn't realize they sell for so much here in the western hemisphere..

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Were you at the Footsoldier in Tokyo? If so you're very lucky you managed to get a pair of those Italys...I hear any time they have new merchandise there's a long line that eats up the stuff within minutes. I want to get my hands on a pair of the Patent reverse blues.

$130 is a very good price though, most people in the States charge r*pe prices for Bapestas. I even heard Nom de Guerre in NYC were sellin em for $300 at one point

 

[deemrock]

Originally posted by Fade to Black@Dec 10 2004, 04:41 PM
Were you at the Footsoldier in Tokyo? If so you're very lucky you managed to get a pair of those Italys...I hear any time they have new merchandise there's a long line that eats up the stuff within minutes. I want to get my hands on a pair of the Patent reverse blues.

$130 is a very good price though, most people in the States charge r*pe prices for Bapestas. I even heard Nom de Guerre in NYC were sellin em for $300 at one point

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Yeah believe it or not...... I didn't realize the significance of BAPE till my trip to Japan... Before I went, it was just some "other brand" that "pharrell" was rawking ha ha... I mean common those multi-colored camo bape jakets are FUUUGGLYY.... I also saw alot about bape in "Street Jack" a Japanese fashion magazine I subscribe too..

But it didn't really hit me... Til I went to TOKYO... I was just walking down the street and tons of people were rawking BAPE, even old guys in thier 40's.... I saw an older guy on the metro decked out in a full business suit clutching his new bape shopping bag like it was GOLD or something ha ha... after that I was like wow i gotta check out the stores... ONCE at the stores it was fawking insane like a scene right out of the NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE tons of people just clammering around to scoop up some BAPE... and the stores themselves are amazing... I'm sure you've heard of the converyor belt shoes that just go round and round in the footsoldier store right???

Yeah dude I saw those "Patent Reverse Blues" in person and they are hella phat lemme tell yah.. when you get em you will love em!! I wanted a different colorway myself but thats all they would let me get... I'm pretty sure they have stock of the stuff but I think they are selective as to who they sell it too oddly enough...

 

[Fade to Black]

Originally posted by deemrock@Dec 10 2004, 05:09 PM
Yeah believe it or not...... I didn't realize the significance of BAPE till my trip to Japan... Before I went, it was just some "other brand" that "pharrell" was rawking ha ha... I mean common those multi-colored camo bape jakets are FUUUGGLYY.... I also saw alot about bape in "Street Jack" a Japanese fashion magazine I subscribe too..

But it didn't really hit me... Til I went to TOKYO... I was just walking down the street and tons of people were rawking BAPE, even old guys in thier 40's.... I saw an older guy on the metro decked out in a full business suit clutching his new bape shopping bag like it was GOLD or something ha ha... after that I was like wow i gotta check out the stores... ONCE at the stores it was fawking insane like a scene right out of the NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE tons of people just clammering around to scoop up some BAPE... and the stores themselves are amazing... I'm sure you've heard of the converyor belt shoes that just go round and round in the footsoldier store right???

Yeah dude I saw those "Patent Reverse Blues" in person and they are hella phat lemme tell yah.. when you get em you will love em!! I wanted a different colorway myself but thats all they would let me get... I'm pretty sure they have stock of the stuff but I think they are selective as to who they sell it too oddly enough...

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Actually I probably won't get those patent blue Bapes...I'd rather get a pair of white Diors. Yeah that conveyor belt concept seems pretty cool.

Those multi colored camo hoodies are terrible...but for some reason people jock the hell out of it on Niketalk. The Bape camo in traditional, darker colors looks nice on army jackets though.

Off topic, but did you see the BBC X Louis Vuitton sunglasses that Pharrell designed? Those are so out there it's ridiculous...it's like Urkel meets Studio 54.