What do the world's fifth largest collection of Planet of the Apes memorabilia, a Japanese proverb about lukewarm water, and the Beastie Boys have in common? They are all related in one way or another to the underground brand A Bathing Ape (BAPE), brainchild of a sprightly designer, musician, and Tokyoite, who, like so many Japanese "superstars" (think Ichiro), goes by his given name: Nigo. A visitor to Nigo's latest installation, BAPE Café would be greeted by a ceiling mural of American 1950s-style pinups suggestively manipulating BAPE merchandise. Once inside one is completely enveloped in the BAPE brand. The BAPE logo, a blurry, psychedelic, shag-hair ape face, is everywhere. Coasters, napkins, tables, stools, chopstick sleeves, plates, the bill, and various nooks and crannies throughout the café are all ape-branded. The centerpiece is a giant, dark wood table cut in the shape of the logo replete with a recessed mirror image carved into the ceiling above. Even the toilet is BAPE-shaped. Clearly Nigo has a bit of a grasp on this branding thing. There is a rigid consistency in the otherwise seemingly hip, laid-back personality of the brand. BAPE started as a clothing line, and every article personally handcrafted by Nigo has the ape logo carefully placed on it, sometimes in the most unexpected places. Even more crucial to BAPE's brand success than consistency has been its "limited editions" strategy. The self-enforced scarcity of BAPE products and boutiques makes them more sought after among BAPE fans than De Beers diamonds. The humble origins of this ape fetish fashion lie in the backstreets of trendy Tokyo neighborhood Harajuku, where 10 years ago Nigo launched his brand in an unassuming shop entitled "Nowhere Ltd." He took his inspiration from what was closest to him: the streets, Japanese society, and, of course, Planet of the Apes. Nigo's designs foreshadowed the urban hip-hop style that has come to prevail as a dominant youth fashion in Japan. But it was not merely his passion for collecting POTA memorabilia that led him to emboss his carefully crafted clothing with primates. The brand name is actually a clever riff on the Japanese society, as it is derived from the expression "to bathe in lukewarm water." Full article here. Via Lucjam.