| lass="MsoNormal">Brand Bape, also known as A | | | | the rewards for making his clothing hard tocome by. |
| BathingApe, is a Japanese brand that targets the | | | | The company sells a wide variety of clothing |
| Urban and hip-hop fashion scene. Aswell as selling | | | | includingjackets, sweatshirts, jeans and also their own |
| clothing, the company also owns hair salons and music | | | | brand of shoe - Bape Sta - whichhas been compared |
| labelswhich all help to compliment the brand. The | | | | to Nike trainers in appearance. The urban wear is seen |
| company was founded in 1993 and hasrapidly gained | | | | asfashionable and a cultural statement by teenagers |
| popularity throughout Asia andthe western world. The | | | | and young adults alike. |
| company now has boutique stores in New York, | | | | The company's individualism and unique approach can |
| Taiwan andLondon as wellas having members-only | | | | bebest depicted by their company website. Rather |
| shops and a record label among its many | | | | than having any information, thestylish one page site |
| assetsthroughout the world. | | | | invites only one action on their website - to download |
| The man who started the company is called Tomoaki | | | | anapplication. The application then has music and slick |
| Nagao- he is known under the alias Nigo - says that | | | | graphics, which helps tore-enforce the unique style that |
| his main reasons for startingthe company was the | | | | Nigo has managed to attach to the brand. |
| inspiration that he took from his parents. As well as | | | | Nigo started the company with one idea that he |
| beinginfluenced by his parents, one of whom was a | | | | wantedto be central to everything - the customer |
| nurse and another a marketer,Hiroshi Fujiwara was | | | | should feel grateful for beingallowed to buy his product, |
| also a large influence despite being a designer in a | | | | rather than the other way round. |
| farearlier period in Japanese fashion and culture and | | | | One of the ways this idea was driven home was |
| there being a lack ofobvious similarities between their | | | | throughthe limited production of all items that are sold. |
| works. The nickname, Nigo, means number 2 | | | | Not only does this makehigher costs more justifiable, it |
| inJapanese and the name of his stores is directly pulled | | | | also means that celebrity figures are happyto wear |
| from the film Planet ofthe Apes. The company, unlike | | | | the clothes because they know the chances are low |
| major fashion brands of today, was not started ona | | | | that anyone else willbe seen wearing the same thing. |
| major budget. They gave t-shirts away to inspirational | | | | Bape is a unique brand that has the respect offashion |
| music figures and usedthat as a means of gaining viral | | | | gurus and marketing experts alike. For years into the |
| exposure. This worked very well, and quicklypushed | | | | future it is safeto say that Bape will continue to gain |
| demand for the clothing well above supply. This was a | | | | mindshare and grow as a company. |
| deliberate move byNigo, who felt he would later reap | | | | |