A Bathing Ape by Akio Iida, Ian Luna, Nigo (2008, Hardcover)

Key Details
Author:	Akio Iida, Ian Luna, Nigo
Language:	English
Format:	Hardcover
ISBN-10:	0847830519
ISBN-13:	9780847830510

Size
Length:	384 pages
Height:	12.3 in
Width:	8 in
Thickness:	1.2 in
Weight:	67.2 oz

Publisher's Note
A monograph on the Tokyo-based urban fashion label evaluates the contributions of enigmatic designer Nigo, the ways in which its core product line differs from those of mass-produced competitors, and its recent expansion into fragrances, toys, and indie music. 12,500 first printing.

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.