As far as we can tell BAPE was the first Japanese streetwear brand to really gain any mainstream notability in the United States. During the late ā90s, The Notorious BIG could be seen wearing BAPE camo parkas and by the mid-ā00s, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Soulja Boy were evangelizing the brand at every single turn. Since then, the brand has seen its mountain tops and valleys, experiencing mainstream success and then a low-value selloff just a few years later. Through it all, the brand has remained strong, consistently selling out drops and reselling everywhere, including StockX. Among the most popular products are BAPE T-shirts, particularly those featuring the brandās most popular patterns and logos. From the College Tee to Baby Milo to the Ape Head, weāve pulled together a breakdown of the most classic BAPE t-shirts.
Ape Head T-Shirt
When Nigo founded BAPE in the early 1990ās, his inspiration came from his love for the 1968 film Planet of the Apes. The Ape Head logo is the original BAPE logo and can subsequently be found as the foundation of many other popular graphics found on BAPE T-shirts. For instance, both the College T-shirt and the Busy Works T-shirt feature graphics designed around the Ape Head. It is the foundational logo that BAPE has been built on and itās no surprise that it has become one of the most recognizable logos in the world since its inception. Shop a selection of BAPE Ape Head T-Shirts below and every Ape Head T-shirt that StockX has to offer here.
College T-Shirt
BAPEās College logo is potentially the most popular t-shirt design the brand currently releases. The design debuted on a hoodie in 1996 and undoubtedly pulls inspiration from classic American collegiate style. Featuring block lettering around the logo literally named the āCollege Teeā, itās both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time and the variety in colorway and usage of multiple logomarks makes it that each release is unique. Shop a selection of BAPE College T-shirts below and every College T-shirt StockX has to offer here.
Shark T-Shirt
The BAPE Shark logo is potentially the brandās next most popular logo, second to the Ape Head. In 2004, BAPE began releasing Shark Logo hoodies which quickly became a social status symbol, demonstrating not only that you were in the know but also that you were willing to drop more than $400 on a hoodie. Outside of the hoodies, the Shark Logo has been used on a number of other apparel items including shorts, t-shirts, facemasks, and sunglasses. Shark Logo T-shirts have also become extremely popular, demanding attention and demonstrating a sense of in-the-know at a lower price point. Shop a curation of BAPE Shark Logo T-Shirts below and every shark logo StockX has to offer here.
Baby Milo T-Shirt
BAPE can be somewhat intimidating. The nature of the brand is loud with prints and logos larger than life itself, but BAPE has a sweet side for those who may be intimidated by the brandās big logomarks. Not long after founding the brand, Nigo created something of a childrenās character to toddle in the glory of the BAPE universe and his name was Baby Milo. Since inception, Baby Milo has become another one of BAPEās popular logomarks that never seems to fade from memory. And as if a cute little monkey wasnāt disarming enough, Baby Milo demands the lionās share of the brandās collaborations, becoming the star of partnerships like BAPE x Dragonball Z or BAPE x The Mandalorian. The accessibility is twofold and the cuteness is endless. Check out a few of our favorite BAPE Baby Milo T-shirts below and shop the rest of our Baby Milo catalog on StockX here.
Bapesta Star Logo Tee
In the early 2000ās, BAPE took things beyond apparel with the BAPESTA sneaker. The BAPESTA is almost exactly the same shoe as Nikeās Air Force 1, with changes made to the shoeās traditional logos. In replacement of Nikeās Swoosh logo, BAPE created the BAPESTA logo, a shooting star that fits perfectly in the swooshās place. Since then, the BAPESTA star has joined other BAPE logos like the Shark and Ape Head in the streetwear logo hall of fame. Due in no small part to the popularity of the sneakers, BAPE has taken to using the logo on T-shirts as well, setting the BAPESTA logo in place of the letter āAā in the word BAPE. A selection of BAPESTA Logo T-shirts can be shopped below.
Busy Works Tee
The Busy Works logo gets its mark from BAPEās retail locations, referred to as Busy Works Stores instead of BAPE stores. The logo features an Ape Head logo in a circle with the words āBathing Apeā overtop and āBusy Worksā underneath, surrounded by two more circles. At its most basic level, this BAPE T-shirt features the design elements listed above but over the years itās become a logo widely customized by the brand. Less traditional versions of the Busy Works tee have replaced the Ape Head with Baby Milo or filled in the background and circles with BAPEās famous camouflage patterns. A curation of BAPE Busy Works T-shirts can be shopped below and a larger selection can be found on StockX here.
