Yuga Labs and A BATHING APE® (BAPE®) have announced their first-ever partnership, paving the way for a revolutionary streetwear collaboration in the web3 space. This collaboration combines the expertise of BAPE®, a pioneer in streetwear community building, with the disruptive and industry-leading collective in web3, Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC).
The collaboration between these two brands brings together iconic designs from BAPE®’s extensive archives and brings back the essence of streetwear collecting. The collection represents the unique blend of BAPE®’s Ura-Harajuku roots and the BAYC swamp, offering exclusive apparel and accessories that reflect a shared appreciation for luxury and irreverence.
What sets this collaboration apart is a deliberate focus on limited quantities and catering to their respective communities. Rejecting the overexposure of modern streetwear collaborations, Yuga Labs and BAPE® aim to provide an exclusive experience for their community members. The collection will make its world debut on November 4th in Hong Kong during ApeFest, which is BAYC’s annual global community event. It will initially be available to BAYC members in-person during ApeFest or online through token-gated access. Subsequently, the collection will be released exclusively for BAPETAVERSE members before reaching the global public through BAPE STORE® and BAPE.COM in December.
Chief Operating Officer of BAPE®, Thomas Hui, emphasized the significance of fashion and web3 coming together in the current times. He expressed excitement about the collaboration with Yuga Labs, underscoring the potential impact of this partnership.
Michael Ghory, Yuga Labs’ Vice President of Apparel and Lifestyle, highlighted that the collaboration goes beyond the joint name association. He emphasized their genuine respect for each other and dedication to their communities, aiming to provide an exclusive experience amidst the saturation of recent sneaker and apparel collaborations.
The Co-Founder of Yuga Labs, Greg Solano, expressed their mutual admiration for BAPE® and the Bored Ape Yacht Club. He mentioned that collaborating on a limited physical collection felt natural given their shared fan base.
In a unique move, the collection will also be accessible to the public through the Yacht Club Open House, a one-time interactive experience hosted by BAYC on November 5th. Tickets to the Open House will grant access to the limited-edition apparel and accessories, further opening up the collaboration to creators, collectors, and the crypto-curious.
Yuga Labs, as a web3 company, aims to shape the future through storytelling, experiences, and community engagement. Known for their flagship collection Bored Ape Yacht Club, Yuga Labs has been at the forefront of web3 initiatives, releasing IP licenses to NFT holders and pushing the space forward with innovative projects like Otherside. The company raised a record-breaking $450 million seed round at a $4 billion valuation in March 2022.
BAPE® was founded in Harajuku, Japan, in 1993 and has become a symbol of Japanese street fashion for over three decades. The brand’s iconic motifs and original patterns have made it one of the most coveted and exclusive streetwear brands globally. With stores across the world, BAPE® has expanded its offerings beyond apparel to encompass various aspects of lifestyle and collaborations with international brands, solidifying its authority in street fashion.
The partnership between Yuga Labs and BAPE® heralds an exciting chapter in the world of streetwear and web3. By combining their expertise and dedicating themselves to their respective communities, they are set to redefine the boundaries of streetwear collaboration and create a collection that resonates with fashion enthusiasts and web3 enthusiasts alike.
