A Bathing Ape, otherwise known to most as BAPE, has released its newest collection for Spring/Summer 2025.
BAPE is a renowned Japanese streetwear brand founded by Nigo (Tomoaki Nagao) in 1993 in the Ura-Harajuku district of Tokyo. The name “A Bathing Ape” comes from the Japanese saying of “a bathing ape in lukewarm water,” which is a nod to relaxation in onsens (hot springs), representing the overindulgence and laziness of modern youth culture. In a way, its name is a playful critique on its target audience; BAPE isn’t exactly the cheapest or most accessible brand! That’s just part of what makes BAPE so special to so many youths, though. It’s not everyday wear, and, through Nigo’s vision, it combines bold, head-turning designs that occasionally come with pop culture references, creating a brand that resonates with streetwear enthusiasts and sneakerheads worldwide.
From its inception, BAPE distinguished itself from other streetwear through its heavy use of camo, graphics, and collabs with artists, musicians, and other high-profile brands. Its shark hoodies, “Bapesta” sneakers, and playful motifs such as the Ape Head logo have become defining features and have contributed to the brand’s allure, especially in the 2000s when exclusivity and limited-edition releases were taken far more seriously. Though BAPE has gone through challenges maintaining its exclusivity due to its sheer demand from consumers and its selling to Hong Kong fashion conglomerate I.T Group after Nigo became the creative director of Uniqlo, BAPE has still been committed to consistently releasing new collections, each with a certain theme.
Examples include:
Following shortly after the opening of its new store in New Jersey, BAPE has released its new 2025 Spring/Summer collection with two very different themes in mind: “Prep,” and “Rave.”
The “VERY PREP” half of the collection is an homage to old-school American (Ivy League) college style with a modern twist, heavily relying on BAPE’s typical camo and Ape Head emblem. Utilizing items commonly seen in college wardrobes such as varsity jackets and monogrammed tracksuits, BAPE has tweaked these pieces up to change the team/school-oriented look to be more individualized.
The “RAVE VIBES” half of the collection found its inspiration from Y2K’s party culture. With such a bold title, it should come as no surprise that the sub-collection features flashy patterns such as palm trees, “Map Camo,” which combines the shape of the continents with the Ape Head, and of course, more varieties of camo. Its pieces include tracksuits and sports jerseys, all of which are meant to invoke the immersive atmosphere of music festivals.
With such a cool brand being out there, it is quite easy to get FOMO, but there is no need to worry. I got you.
Q: I want BAPE. Where can I find BAPE?
A: If you want BAPE straight from the source, BAPE has a location along downtown Chicago’s Oak Street. Don’t be intimidated by the security or the atmosphere, the associates were very helpful.
Q: BAPE seems so cool.. but it seems pricy. Where can I go?
A: Luckily for most of us who don’t have some money granting genie lying around, there are alternatives to scoop out some cool BAPE pieces for a reduced price! Here are some streetwear stops I personally found BAPE pieces roaming in (they all unfortunately come with a long drive to Chicago).
- Urban Jungle (Wicker Park)
- Endless Supply (Wicker Park)
- Round Two (Wicker Park)
- 2nd STREET (Wicker Park)
- Counterfit (Pilsen)
- Unique (South Loop)
