Want to know the difference between BAPE and AAPE and trying to figure out which one to buy? This guide will provide you some history information about the two, the similarities and difference and hopefully by the end of the article, it will help you decide which one is the right fit for you.

About BAPE
A Bathing Ape, better known as BAPE, is a clothing and accessories brand from Japan Founded in 1993 by Nigo. BAPE holds a significant position in Japanese street culture and fashion. The company was built from the ground up by Nigo who designed 30 to 50 shirts every week and distributed half of them to his friends to develop goodwill. The brand is intrinsic in the minds of the Japanese youth; even the name is a reference to "A Bathing Ape in Lukewarm Water", which refers to the people who are indulging in such luxury that their bath water has gotten cold. This reference to the brands target customers, young Japanese people who have grown up in the post-war economic boom and have lived mostly luxurious and relatively lazy lives, connected hugely with the intended audience. BAPE has stores in Japan and also in international cities like New York, Hong Kong, London, Singapore, etc.

About AAPE
AAPE by A Bathing Ape was the second fashion line by Nigo. It started out initially as a women's streetwear line but eventually developed into a separate entity. While still under the BAPE brand, AAPE has its own distinctive logo, the MOONFACE, and its own themes and iconography. AAPE also has three different clothing lines: Men, Women, and Kids.

Similarities between BAPE and AAPE
Being under the same brand umbrella, you would expect BAPE and AAPE products to be quite similar. And you are right. Here is what you would find in common between products from both the BAPE and AAPE brands.
- Both brands are under the A Bathing Ape umbrella and are owned by the I.T. Group, a Hong Kong fashion conglomerate
- Both BAPE and AAPE products are manufactured in similar locations and with similar materials
- Creative input for both brands come from the same source

Differences between BAPE and AAPE
- BAPE and AAPE have different mascots and design elements.
- BAPE products feature the Ape Head, Bape Camo, Bape Sta, Baby Milo, and other characters.
- AAPE products feature the Aape Camo, Moonface Logo, and other markers unique to the AAPE brand and not shared with BAPE products.
- AAPE started out as a women's clothing line in 2012
- BAPE was started in 1993 as a streetwear and T-shirt brand

Which one should you buy?
Both BAPE and AAPE have evolved into very distinct lines and styles. While their origins might be similar, they are now very different in their looks and their message. While BAPE is the original brand, there is nothing inherently superior in BAPE products over AAPE. Which one is best for you boils down to your preference. If you like the graphics and style of BAPE, you should buy it. If you see yourself better in the classic AAPE moonface, there is no reason you should not go with that.

As is the case with most fashion, it is rarely an objective decision and more about self-expression. The case with BAPE vs AAPE is similar. There is no right answer. There is only what feels right TO YOU.

I hope you find this article useful. If you're looking to either buy Bape or Aape apparrel make sure to visit my Bape Legit sellers and guide page.