Interview: Nigo on keeping Bape fresh

For a brand that’s 16-years-old, A Bathing Ape has managed to keep an impressive track record at producing “the new.” That’s not an easy feat when you consider that the brand dwells in the notoriously moody Japanese streetwear space, where a painfully hip package of limited edition goodness is always waiting to knock the new must-have sweatshirt, t-shirt or sneaker off its pedestal. There’s the newly relaunched Bape London flagship store and the line of men’s suits set to hit stores later this year, just to name a few examples. He fills us in.

A lot has changed since you began making t-shirts as a DJ in Tokyo in the ’90s. Does it become harder to keep Bape fresh and relevant as time wears on?

I think that one of the strengths of the brand is that we are not just trying to keep up with what are considered “the trends” in fashion. I make clothes because there are things I want to make and that is the only criteria they satisfy. I am fortunate that there are enough people who like the brand that we can continue to thrive.

As your brand and following continues to grow over time, how do you maintain that level of mystery and exclusivity that you’re known for?

We continue to control our distribution and we only sell in our own stores. While the number of stores steadily grows, it ’s still controllable.

From the Bape Cuts hair salon to the children’s line, A Bathing Ape has become a lifestyle brand. What areas are you looking to grow into in the future?

I am considering opening stores in Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul and Singapore. At the moment, I’m really into getting back to focusing on clothes. That’s what I want to concentrate on for a while.

The logo for your company is an ape. But if you were an animal, which animal would you be?

A panda. Because they’re very clean.