Two of the Very First Japanese Streetwear Brands Go Back to Where It All Started
It's been a while since we've gotten a collaboration from BAPE and NEIGHBORHOOD, but the wait was certainly worthwhile. The newest collaboration between the two pioneering Japanese streetwear labels unlocks genuine nostalgic feels and familiar military and outdoor references, a couple of shared inspiration points between both brands.
BAPE and NEIGHBORHOOD's collaborative collection includes a full range of clothes and apparel, including tees, crewneck sweatshirts, and varsity jackets stamped with the reissued 90s "GigaPE" motif and plenty of other clever dual-branding moments.
Additionally, BAPE and NEIGHBORHOOD offer up buttery smooth faux leather sneakers, technical gear, chairs, and hats rendered in the collection's quiet grey and black palette or the TRIAL CAMO, BAPE's original camo print from 2000.
But perhaps the hardest piece — also the clothing item most likely to get snatched up by OG BAPE and NEIGHBORHOOD diehards — is the two-way hoodie featuring the NEIGHBORHOOD skull on one side and the BAPE shark on the other.
BAPE and NEIGHBORHOOD's collection brought back those vibes of the 90s Ura-Harajuku scene, where Japanese streetwear was born. It was also where Japanese streetwear designers and labels like Hiroshi Fujiwara ("the godfather of streetwear"), NIGO's A Bathing Ape, Jun Takahashi's UNDERCOVER, and Shinsuke Takizawa's NEIGHBORHOOD came up together, fostering an underground movement that would become a globally-recognized fashion phenomenon.
With BAPE and NEIGHBORHOOD's latest collaboration, two of the first extant Japanese streetwear brands have come together for a capsule that looks like some of their first streetwear designs, taking things back to where it all started.
And for the fans looking to relive the glory days, BAPE and NEIGHBORHOOD's collection drops on February 1 on BAPE's website and at BAPE stores.