The BAPE Tee traces its roots back to the early '90s when Nigo, heavily influenced by American hip-hop culture, set out to create a brand that merged Japanese aesthetics with bold Western designs. Inspired by the movie Planet of the Apes, Nigo coined the brand “A Bathing Ape in Lukewarm Water,” a play on consumerism and luxury. The first BAPE tees were limited in quantity, making them instantly desirable. This scarcity model added to the tee’s hype and created a strong cult following in Japan.
