A Bathing Ape is a streetwear in the middle of an identity crisis. It just sent off its founder and long-time designer Nigo, and in a shrinking market for Japanese streetwear brands, it's daunting for some brands to move ahead with out apprehension. But Bape seems to be doing just fine.
The brand just released its fall/winter 2013 lookbook, and it's not just a continuation of what you'd expect from the seminal brand, it demonstrates growth and an appeal to those who left their full-zip hoodies back in 2006.
The collection still features camo print and large Bape Heads, but it's in the form of gear you could take on an expedition to K2 or a subtle sweater that's perfect for your layering with your menswear garments. There are even pieces that display no branding, and could easily find their way into the line-up of a heritage brand. But Bape fanatics will still be pleased—however, in a new way.
We're all forced to grow up at some point, but that doesn't mean we have to become dicks. And Bape's fall/winter collection is an ode to the brand's history, while moving in a new, exciting direction.
[via A Bathing Ape]
