Who owns Bape?

Bape was founded by Nigo, real name Tomoaki Nagao, in 1993 by in the Ura-Harajuku district of Shibuya, Tokyo. At that point, Nigo was already a fixture in the Japanese streetwear scene. Earlier in the decade he came together with Jun Takahashi to start the label Undercover, and the duo owned the shop Nowhere.

Who started Bape?

Suddenly a brand that was started in Japan was on the lips of the music industry's biggest stars. Bape was founded by Nigo, real name Tomoaki Nagao, in 1993 by in the Ura-Harajuku district of Shibuya, Tokyo. At that point, Nigo was already a fixture in the Japanese streetwear scene.

Is Bape still a brand?

Bape in the 2000s and still today is known for full zip hoodies, Bapesta sneakers (which were modeled off Nike's Air Force 1s), the Baby Milo avatar, and of course bright colors. "This loud, gaudy, streetwear style that Bape was known for no longer seemed relevant," says Schlossman, looking back at the brand's decline in the late 2000s.