Bape (A Bathing Ape): the Tokyo streetwear legend since 1993

Step into the world of Bape (A Bathing Ape), the Japanese streetwear brand founded in 1993 in Harajuku by Nigo (Tomoaki Nagao), becoming in three decades one of the most influential streetwear brands in the world. From the legendary ABC Camo motif to the iconic Shark Full Zip Hoodie, through the Bape Sta sneakers, the Big Ape Head Tees and the Bape x Adidas, Bape x Nike, Bape x Pharrell Williams, Bape x Stussy, Bape x Comme des Garçons collaborations, MTHOR brings together the most coveted drops from the Tokyo house. Every piece is authenticated by our team of experts and shipped sealed with the MTHOR seal worldwide.

The story of an icon: Nigo, Harajuku 1993, and the invention of Japanese streetwear

The Bape story begins in 1993 in Harajuku, Tokyo, under the impulse of Nigo (Tomoaki Nagao), DJ and stylist passionate about American hip-hop and skate culture. Inspired by Stüssy which he had been importing into Japan since the late 80s, Nigo creates his own brand in a small Ura-Harajuku boutique. The name "A Bathing Ape" is taken from the film Planet of the Apes and refers to the Japanese youth taking complacent baths in material comforts — a societal critique built into the brand's DNA.

The first major innovation arrives in 2000 with the ABC Camo motif: a reinterpretation of military camouflage with monkey heads (Ape Head) integrated into the patterns, declined in multiple colours (original green, pink, blue, yellow, white). In 2002, Nigo unveils the Bape Sta, a basketball sneaker inspired by the Nike Air Force 1 — which creates a legal controversy (Nike will sue then drop). In 2005, the Shark Full Zip Hoodie launches: a silhouette with a zip going over the head forming a shark's jaw, becoming one of the most iconic streetwear pieces of all time.

2011 marks a turning point: Bape is bought by Hong Kong conglomerate I.T Group, and Nigo leaves the brand in 2013 to found Human Made then take the artistic direction of Kenzo (2021-today). Under new direction, Bape goes through a more commercial phase but maintains its cult drops. Today, Bape counts more than 30 boutiques worldwide (Tokyo, NYC, LA, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul) and remains one of the two or three most collected streetwear brands in the world, at the crossroads of American hip-hop (Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Travis Scott have worn Bape for 25 years), Japanese streetwear and 2000s nostalgia.

A recognisable visual signature: ABC Camo, Shark, Big Ape Head, College

At the core of the Bape identity sit four visual signatures that have become iconic. First, the ABC Camo motif — a reinterpretation of camouflage with integrated monkey heads, declined in green (the OG 2000), pink, blue, rose, yellow, multi-color, City Camo. The motif is applied on every type of piece: hoodies, t-shirts, joggers, jackets, accessories. Second, the Shark — zip silhouette going over the head forming a shark's jaw, with embroidered teeth on the zip. The Shark itself is declined in multiple seasonal colourways and collabs. Third, the Big Ape Head — a stylised monkey face that serves as a signature logo, printed large on tees and hoodies. Fourth, the College logo — "A BATHING APE" typography in an arc, American-university style, on a plain background.

Material quality is the other hallmark. Heavy 100% cotton (generally 380-420 gsm) for hoodies and crewnecks, premium jersey for tees, technical nylon for the Shark Down and MA-1 jackets, velour for the Mercedes-AMG F1 collabs and capsule drops. Products are made in Japan, China or Vietnam depending on the drop. "Made in Japan" markings are the most coveted by purists — typical Japanese quality and cuts (slightly more structured than international versions).

The standout pieces of the Bape collection

The Bape collection at MTHOR covers all the cult silhouettes. On the Shark side, you'll find the Shark Full Zip Hoodie in multiple colourways — Green Camo (the OG), Black Camo, Pink Camo, City Camo, Tiger Camo, and the Shark collabs (City Camo Shark WGM SS23). The BAPE City Camo Shark WGM Full-Zip Hoodie remains one of the most coveted drops of 2023.

On the ABC Camo side, you'll find the complete range: ABC Camo Hoodie (Green/Black/Pink/Blue/Rose/Multi), ABC Camo Crewneck, ABC Camo Tee, ABC Camo Joggers, ABC Camo Shorts. Recent drops include ABC Camo Wide Sweatpant, ABC Camo Track Jacket. On the Big Ape Head side, logo tees and hoodies cover the entire seasonal palette. The College Logo Tee and College Logo Hoodie are the signature typography variations.

On the Bape Sta side, MTHOR covers the iconic sneaker silhouette in multiple versions: Bape Sta Original in premium smooth leather, Bape Sta M2 (the second generation with reinforced construction), and the Bape Sta collabs (Adidas Bape Adicolor, Stussy Bape Sta, etc.).

On the collaborations side, MTHOR brings together: Bape x Adidas (the 2024-2025 return with ABC Camo Stan Smith, Forum Low, Adicolor Bape Sta), Bape x Pharrell Williams (collabs since the early 2000s), Bape x Stussy (annual capsule drops), Bape x Comme des Garçons, Bape x Mercedes-AMG F1, Bape x Disney, Bape x Marvel. Plus the accessories drops: Bape Camo Cap, Bape Backpack, Bape Bucket Hat, Bape Socks. An exhaustive coverage that makes MTHOR the authenticated Bape reference in France.

Why buy your Bape at MTHOR

MTHOR Shop specialises in the sale of authentic Bape. Every piece in our collection goes through a rigorous quality control led by our team of experts: we check the ABC Camo motif consistency (every monkey head must be aligned identically on all panels of the garment, with proper spacing and scale — a fake Bape is often spotted by a Camo too dense, misaligned or with deformed monkey heads), the Japanese inner label with "Made in Japan/China/Vietnam" marking and season code, the cotton quality (380-420 gsm for hoodies, thick jersey for tees), the weaving of Shark teeth on zips (real teeth are precisely embroidered in relief), the Big Ape Head embroidery and the College logo. For the most counterfeited pieces (Shark Full Zip Hoodie, ABC Camo Hoodie Green, Bape x Adidas collabs), we apply a reinforced protocol: UV lamp and microscope to verify embroidery precision, Japanese label weaving, and material fidelity to the official drop. Every order ships with an MTHOR seal, a tangible guarantee that quality control was performed and authenticity validated. Learn more about our authentication process.

We offer worldwide signed-for home delivery in 2 to 8 days, with real-time tracking via email and WhatsApp, 4x interest-free payment via Klarna or Scalapay, and a France-based customer service available Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. No customs fees on your end: MTHOR covers all customs duties and taxes.

FAQ — Bape at MTHOR

How can I verify the authenticity of a Bape piece?

Every piece sold on MTHOR has been authenticated by our team of experts before shipment. We systematically control: (1) ABC Camo motif alignment — every monkey head must be identical in size, position and orientation on all panels of the garment, with regular spacing. Fakes often have deformed, misaligned or too-dense monkey heads. (2) The inner label — "Made in Japan / China / Vietnam" marking with Bape season code, premium weaving and font characters. (3) The Shark teeth embroidered on zips (deep relief, multi-layer embroidery for real ones, flat screen-print for fakes). (4) The Big Ape Head embroidered with eyes and teeth in precise relief. (5) The 380-420 gsm cotton quality on hoodies (fakes often use 280-320 gsm cotton, distinguishable immediately by touch). For the most counterfeited pieces, we use UV lamp and microscope. Full details here.

What size should I pick for Bape?

Bape uses Japanese sizing which typically fits one size below European/American brands. If you're usually European M, take Bape L for a standard fit, or Bape M for a fitted look. If you're usually European L, take Bape XL. The Shark Full Zip Hoodie fits particularly small — most connoisseurs take +1 size (XL if you're usually L). Bape Sta fits like an Air Force 1 — true to your usual size.

Why is the Bape Shark Hoodie so iconic?

The Shark Full Zip Hoodie, launched in 2005, has become one of the most iconic streetwear pieces of all time thanks to several factors: (1) the unique zip design going over the head and forming a shark's jaw with embroidered teeth, (2) its massive adoption by rappers and celebrities (Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Travis Scott, Tyler the Creator made it mythical in the 2000s-2010s), (3) its intentional scarcity — each colourway is produced in limited quantity and never reprinted. The most coveted versions: Green Camo OG (the founding piece), Black, Tiger Camo, and recent collabs.

What box does my Bape piece ship with?

You receive the original Bape packaging specific to the drop: clear plastic polybag with Bape signed collector sticker (this is the signature packaging), Bape hangtag with season label, and for collabs (Bape x Adidas, Bape x Stussy) a dedicated collab packaging. For Bape Sta, you receive the sneaker box with Bape Original marking. Everything ships in an MTHOR overpack to protect the Bape packaging — the stickers and hangtags being themselves collector items for vintage 2005-2015 drops.

What's the delivery time?

We ship worldwide, with signed-for home delivery in 2 to 8 days. Real-time tracking via email and WhatsApp.

Will I have to pay customs fees?

No, you won't pay any customs fees. MTHOR covers all customs duties and taxes.

Can I return my Bape piece if I'm not satisfied?

Yes. You have 14 days from receipt in original condition (never worn, Bape hangtags present, intact polybag, MTHOR seal not removed).

Going further

Discover also our Streetwear, Supreme and Adidas collections. To learn everything about the quality of our pieces, check out our detailed authentication process or our guide How to recognize a real pair of sneakers.