BAPE Is Looking Super — KidSuper, That Is (EXCLUSIVE)
As KidSuper's Colm Dillane prepared to debut his Fall/Winter 2025 presentation during Paris Fashion Week, he geared up to reveal a very big surprise on the runway: his first-ever collaboration with streetwear icon BAPE.
Yes, you read that right: KidSuper and BAPE's inaugural collaboration is here. And it's been a long time coming.
"I've been a fan of BAPE since I was a kid—it's one of those brands that's always had a huge cultural presence," Dillane told Highsnobiety. "Early on in my career, I'd be screenprinting shirts for people lined up at BAPE® drops, so it's a brand I've always felt connected to. Getting the chance to work together now feels like things are coming full circle. It's really about blending both our approaches to creativity and seeing what we could come up with."
Each brand has its own distinct flavor and artistry, and the collaboration blends these codes flawlessly.
The BAPE by KidSuper collection includes just about everything, from outerwear to tops to bottoms and hats, each showcasing the best of BAPE and KidSuper's creative signatures. Of course, the offering isn't without a couple of BAPE STA sneakers and clogs. There's a SUPER SASHIKO BAPE STA, meticulously crafted with antique Japanese fabrics and embroidery.
BAPE and KidSuper's collaboration started in Tokyo, with the two digging through BAPE's archives at BAPELAND. The creativity began to run wild as they unearthed some of BAPE's most legendary pieces.
The pair even created a new version of the timeless BAPE CAMO called the SUPER CAMO, which marries the unmistakable camouflage print with KidSuper's signature face motif. The SUPER CAMO appears on the World Gone Super Shark Hoodie, a key piece that features a playful grinning shark.
"It wasn't just about reworking existing designs but about figuring out how to bring both of our perspectives together," Dillane said. "It felt collaborative the whole way through, with both teams adding their own ideas to make the collection unique."
The collaboration wasn't just an exciting get for KidSuper; BAPE was also equally into the partnership.
"By lending our distinctive brand assets to a talented designer like [Dillane], we can really express fearless expression across mediums and outputs and imagine a new lens on the future of the brand," BAPE CEO Mahmoud El Salahy said.
"We both naturally challenge the status quo and don't settle for what's familiar or ordinary. Some brands may fear change or avoid pushing the boundaries, but we've clicked nicely with our shared ideology challenging boundaries. It's about respecting the brand heritage while imagining the future."
KidSuper is happy. BAPE is happy. What else could we want?
Maybe a release date for the collection. Good news: the BAPE by KidSuper collection will be available in Spring 2025.
