Bape Shoe Collaborations Through the Years: Kanye West, Ronnie Fieg and More
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A Bathing Ape, also known as Bape, was founded in 1993 when DJ Nigo was inspired by a Japanese idiom. After expanding outside of Japan in the early 2000s, the brand gained popularity once it seeped into hip-hop culture. Since then, celebrated artists like Pharrell Williams have been seen repping Bape’s apparel and footwear.
Through collaborations, Bape has been able to place its signature camouflage print and shooting star logo on popular footwear silhouettes like Adidas’ Stan Smith, Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star and Dr. Marten’s 1460. Other brands have been able to put their own spin on the Bape Sta style including leading franchises like Marvel.
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Here is a look at Bape’s most notable footwear collaborations through the years.
Bape x Marvel, 2005
In 2005, Bape worked with Marvel to release an apparel and footwear collection featuring characters like Iron Man. One of its low-top sneakers was designed in a Hulk-inspired colorway with a green and purple color block design covering the patent leather upper. The brand’s shooting star logo was dressed in black, starting at the heel tab just above the Marvel logo.
Bape x Converse, 2006
For its first collaboration with a major sneaker brand, Bape teamed up with Converse in 2006 on a reiteration of the Chuck Taylor All Star High. The white canvas upper was decorated with the streetwear brand’s camouflage print in black and gray. To complete the shoe, silver chrome eyelets and black pinstripe detailing along the white rubber sole.
Bape x Puma, 2015
Bape collaborated with Puma on a fall 2015 collection. Along with apparel and accessories, the streetwear brand’s camouflage print was seen on the Puma’s R698. The low-top set featured a black leather upper with a white rubber sole. Also showing the signature print, the Puma’s Disc Blaze style was reimagined with a suede cap toe and a speckled sole.
Bape x Adidas, 2016
In 2016, Bape and Adidas created a collection of apparel and footwear, including the NMD style, which was one of the most talked-about sneakers that year. The running sneakers were reimagined with a green and black colorway, including an all-over camouflage print. Both sets had a contrasting look with Adidas’ three stripes in white, matching the textured sole.
Bape x Ronnie Fieg, 2016
Bape teamed up with Ronnie Fieg in 2016 for two reiterations of the Bape Sta. The low-top style featured an all-white leather silhouette with the streetwear brand’s shooting star logo on both sides of the lace-up closure. Another colorway included a beige suede upper with a white rubber sole. The materials used to create the sets are sourced from Portugal and Italy.
Bape x Adidas x Neighborhood, 2017
In 2017, Bape joined forces with Adidas and fellow Japanese streetwear brand Neighborhood. The Superstar style is reimagined with a tonal gray color palette with suede overlays and contrasting black details along the collar lining, heel tab and three stripes. The silhouette’s construction is upgraded with Adidas’ Boost cushioning and Primeknit material to create a sock-like fit.
Bape x Dr. Martens, 2018
The Japanese streetwear brand collaborated with Dr. Martens in 2018 on a limited-edition collection including four footwear styles. Along with a range of co-branded clothing, Dr. Martens 1460 boots and 1461 shoes were reiterated in black and burgundy colorways with Bape’s signature camouflage pattern embossed on the leather uppers. The loafers retailed for $208 while the boots were $244.
Bape x Ugg, 2019
Bape and Ugg collaborated on a capsule collection in April of 2019, consisting of five footwear styles, including a pair of chunky platform sneakers, slides, slippers and boots. Each pair combined elements from both brands like Ugg’s classic chestnut colorway and Bape’s streetwear brand’s camo print and shooting star logo. The line also featured white accents and sheepskin details.
Bape x Clarks, 2020
The streetwear brand worked with Clarks for the first time in 2020 to update the 70-year-old Desert boot style. The brands reimagined the style in two colorways, walnut and sand. The sets were completed with Clarks’ signature crepe outsole and laser-printed Bape logos along the suede upper. The collection also included two reiterations of the Wallabee boot that featured the brand’s camouflage print.
Bape x Timberland, 2021
For fall 2021, Timberland teamed up with Bape to reimagine its 3-Eye Lug and Chukka boots. Both styles feature the footwear company’s signature wheat color in Bape’s signature camo print. The 3-Eye Lug style is designed with green laces and a two-toned color blocking with dark brown and blue hues. The Chukka boot differentiates with a star stripe overlay panel on the sides.
Bape x Stadium Goods, 2021
For its first-ever sneaker collaboration, Stadium Goods tapped Bape on a reiteration of two brands’ silhouettes: the BapeSta and the Sk8 Sta. The limited-edition line included tonal gray and blue colorways with the streetwear brand’s shooting star logo on the sides of the lace-up closure. The low top sneakers release in the fall of 2021 for $315.
Bape x Vans, 2021
Bape and Vans dropped its first collaboration in the fall of 2021 on a footwear and apparel capsule collection, including new iterations of two popular silhouettes. Bape’s signature camouflage print was displayed all over the black and white Sk8-Hi 38 DX shoe. Bape used its first-ever camo design to decorate the canvas upper of the Authentic 44 DX style.
Bape x New Balance, 2022
Bape and New Balance came together in the summer of 2022 to deliver a new iteration of the 57/40 style. The two brands created three colorways, multicolor, green and gray, to display on the low-top silhouettes as premium suede overlays. The mesh-based upper included a co-branded tongue tag and Bape’s camo print stamped on the “N” logo.
Bape x Solebox, 2022
In 2022, Bape collaborated with Solebox to makeover the Bape Sta sneaker again. The streetwear brand’s camo pattern was seen throughout the gray upper. White laces and sole added slight contrast to the look. Bape’s shooting star logo and a Solebox-branded heel tab completed the set. The sneaker collaboration was released at the beginning of that year for $397.
Bape x End. Clothing, 2022
Bape and End. Clothing first collaborated in 2022 for a bowling-inspired apparel and footwear collection. Along with a bowling ball and a varsity jacket, the capsule included the Bape Sta dressed in a maroon and pine green colorway. White leather filled the space between the split colorway, including the heel tab and lace-up closure with an End. dubrae.
Bape x Adidas, 2023
To celebrate the Japanese streetwear brand’s 30th anniversary, Bape worked with Adidas in November of 2023 to reimagine the Stan Smith. Released in two neutral colorways, an embossed version of the brand’s camo print covered the synthetic leather upper of the silhouette. A gold foiled logo embroidered the ABC camo heel, matching the 30th-anniversary jewel on the laces.
Bape x Adidas, 2024
Once again, Adidas and the streetwear brand updated the Stan Smith in 2024. For the third iteration of Bape’s anniversary celebrations, the two brands reworked the silhouette to be covered in Bape’s signature ABC Camo print. Along with an off-white sole and a white branded heel tab, the set was completed with gold foiled detailing and a 30th-anniversary jewel.
Adidas x Bape Collaboration Photos
Launch Gallery: Adidas x Bape Collaboration Photos
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