Bape has been around since 1993 but it hasn't been a standout product until recently. Unfortunately, all great designer items are targeted by counterfeiters as soon as they gain success. If you are not able to recognize a fake product from an authentic one, you might pay a lot of money for something that lacks in quality and originality. We have prepared a guide on how to tell if Bape is fake or authentic, so keep these tips in mind when buying a new Bape item.
Fake Bape Guide (Is Your Bape Real or Fake?)
Whether you are planning to buy a Bape article of clothing in the market or on eBay, you may want to pay attention to each item in order to distinguish a fake product from the original. In order to do so, follow our guide on fake Bape items (AKA "Fape") and how to know what you're buying.
Sizes
Bape rarely produce 3XL or 4XL sizes. If the item you're trying to buy is in this size, make sure to do thorough research.
Pricing
If the price is too low, you may think the deal looks too good to be true and it probably is. For example, no hoodie should be priced under $300 since that is retail price in every store that sells the Bape brand. If you want to buy an authentic product, be aware that you are going to pay $300 or more for it, depending on the style.
The Bape bag
Some people may choose a Bape plastic zip lock bag and think that these items are more authentic. There are a lot of fake bags that look convincing, so make sure that the bag design is never the first thing you check out. Fake bags usually have more colors so the Bape logo may look more yellow and orange. Original bags should have a white tab with a factory sticker of size on them.
Stitching
The stitching on a Bape item of clothing is nearly perfect, although sometimes it may have a loose thread or two on the inside.
Sleeve tag
The tag of Bape clothing item should be centered on the sleeve. Any other tags on the back or front are a fake.
Here's a good comparison video from Youtube of a real Bape vs a Fake item.
The colorway
The colors on all Bape items are always vibrant and never dull. Also, pay attention to Bape letters printed out on the front side of your desired Bape item. Fake ones can have Bape put a bit crookedly. Bape hoodies with diamonds are fake when diamonds are placed around the letters instead on the letters like on the original items.
Inside lining
The inside lining of fake Bape items are fleecy and the original is always woven cotton, so make sure to be careful about the fabric.
Fabric
If you pull apart the fabric and you can see that it is loose or that there is spacing between two parts, it is sure that what you are holding in your hands is not a Bape authentic item. All Bape materials are carefully chosen, they have a standout quality, and all fabrics are tightly knitted.
Silver zipper
Most Bapes, except the Baby Milo line, have silver zippers. If the zipper does not say YKK on the back of the zipper than the product can be a fake. There are also fake items with YKK silver zippers on the market, so be careful and make sure this is not the first thing you check out when buying a Bape item.
The care tag
This tag is located near the hip area on the inside. It should be in the same font, but remember that some fakes will also have the same font.
So where can I buy authentic Bape?
Here's the deal. If you REALLY want to make sure you're only buying authentic Bape then only buy from these PROVEN and LEGIT eBay sellers below or through these online stores.
However, sometimes the Bape you want may not be available from these sellers so below I wrote down a quick buyers guideline for eBay listings.
Tips on Buying Bape on eBay
Photos
If the seller has a limited amount of photos or he refuses to send you more photos he is not trustworthy. Always ask for photos from all sides and also from the inside. Carefully look if all the words on the care tag are spelled correctly. Always compare photos from sellers on eBay with Bape online stores.
Feedback
Be careful of users with low feedback and many items for sale. Some users may boost their feedback, so make sure you check out their entire site to see if you can trust them.
Listings
If a seller has sold the same item you want to order over the past month it is probably a fake, so check out the completed listings.
The best and also the cheapest way of buying A Bathing Ape Product in through online stores. There are forums where people ask questions about Bape products and there you can get recommendations of trustworthy eBay sellers. But always be extremely careful when ordering from eBay and make sure you you check everything until you are sure that the Bape you want to order is an authentic item. Happy shopping!
UPDATE! I just made a detailed legit check guide for different Bape items below. Check them out!
- Bape shoes
- Bape hoodies
- Bape shirts
