To celebrate the second exclusive collaboration of Master & Dynamic x BAPE MG20 headphones and MW08 earphones, The 10,000 spoke to their team to dig a little deeper into the history of the iconic streetwear brand. Read on to learn about BAPE’s emblematic motif, how the brand chooses collaborations, and the origins of the signature camo pattern.
What is the history behind the name “BAPE”?
The name of BAPE is an homage to the film, Planet of the Apes. And secondly, it’s a reference to the Japanese idiom ‘a bathing ape in lukewarm water’, a tongue-in-cheek nod to the overindulgence of the young streetwear consumer.
The brand has designed everything from sneakers to t-shirts and the iconic shark hoodie, which are adorned with a superflat camouflage pattern. How did BAPE choose its now emblematic motif?
With BAPE 1st Camo coming to life in 1996, the graphic intends to blend a number of different elements in its design; firstly, its obvious reference to military camouflage fits perfectly with the Japanese fascination with military clothing. Where camouflage is traditionally designed to conceal and hide, however, the BAPE camo manages to flip the script and become the brand’s motif.
