As far as unexpected collaborations, this may take the cake. In 2009, BAPE partnered with Los Angeles based furniture company Modernica to produce a set of fiberglass chairs featuring the brand’s iconic camo.

Based on Charles and Ray Eames' original 1948 design for Herman Miller, the Case Study Side Shell chairs proved a massive success, and the limited edition quickly became a must have for any serious BAPE fanatic. Though Modernica does not hold the official Eames license—Herman Miller still does to this day—the clearly recognizable design meshed with the infamous pattern was a curious pairing. Yet, juxtaposing classic with contemporary was always one of NIGO’s definitive traits, and given the collaboration's warm reception, clearly it was a success.

Since 2009, the two brands have come together a number of times, not only on multiple Case Study Chairs but additionally on a fold-out metal side table and and a wooden coffee table, always utilizing classic Mid-Century and Contemporary designs with a clear BAPE twist. Most recently, the two released a new take on the Case Study Side Shell and a wooden side table with steel hairpin legs. Utilizing a proprietary process, the 2019 “LA CAMO” chair featured a white, pink, yellow and blue camo pattern that was set between the two layers of fiberglass as opposed to simply printing on the chair’s exterior, meaning that it will never blemish or fade.

Celebrating the Los Angeles BAPE store’s 1-year anniversary—and coincidentally the collaboration’s 10 year anniversary—the chair was limited to the LA BAPE flagship and Modernica showroom, where it sold out instantly. An impressive feat given its near-$700 price tag. Of course, for those lucky enough to snag a chair, they can easily be flipped for twice that.

BAPE’s hip-hop ties are the stuff of legend. Beyond NIGO himself—who was part of iconic Japanese rap crew Teriyaki Boyz alongside Wise and AMBUSH co-founder Verbal—some of BAPE’s earliest customers were notable rappers including Biggie, Lil Wayne and many others.

Though Kanye West graced lookbooks and Pharrell brought the aesthetic stateside via Ice Cream and Billionaire Boys Club, it is Kid Cudi’s long-standing relationship with the Japanese label that stands out amongst the rest.

Not only a former BAPE employee—Kid Cudi famously worked at the label’s SoHo, New York flagship for years prior to his rap career taking off—the rapper was a noted fan, who obsessed over the brand in high school and famously applied to work at the New York store four times before finally landing a job. While recording his first mixtape, Kid Cudi was still a BAPE employee and naturally wore plenty of the clothes he picked up working retail on the following promotional tour. A year later, the relationship came full circle, and Kid Cudi found himself collaborating with his former employer on a range of T-Shirts celebrating, well, himself. Part of the brand’s Baby Milo range, the shirts featured three distinct graphics, each with a different animated Kid Cudi decked head to toe in BAPE apparel, including Bapesta sneakers and full-zip shark hoodies in various colors. The shirts were a massive success, still lusted after by collectors to this day, commemorating the rising star then considered one of the most fashionable in hip-hop.

Since the original release, Kid Cudi and BAPE have reunited a number of times, most notably in the summer of 2016, when the two released a limited run of shirts at ComplexCon. Available exclusively to attendees, the reunion was one of the most coveted drops at the convention, and today sells for thousands of dollars. With rumor that another collaboration is slated to drop later this year, this long standing partnership is not only one of the greatest rapper/streetwear collaborations, but one BAPE’s most coveted.

In 2002, BAPE and Supreme shared plenty in common. Although Supreme was still very much a downtown skate shop (at the time) while BAPE was already firmly in the fashion-lifestyle space, the things that unified them—including limited distribution and limited publicly-available information—translated to plenty of crossover appeal.

Back then, BAPE—while quickly expanding—was still a part of the formational Urahara scene and, for those not fortunate enough to regularly shop in Tokyo, was almost impossible to buy. While co-signed by major artists, sneakerheads and cultural figures, BAPE—much like Supreme at the time—was still an insider’s brand. Back then, the many similarities made a collaboration inevitable.

Released in 2002, Supreme worked with BAPE to produce 15 different camouflage patterns, each with a distinct color palette. The custom BAPE-head camos appeared as the background for the New York label’s infamous box logo T-shirts, along with a BAPE sleeve tag—standard issue for any BAPE T-shirt to this day. Intended for different BAPE and Supreme locations throughout Japan (at that point there were three) as well as the New York Supreme flagship, the colorways were spread out and few know how many exist of each color, though secondhand price is a good indicator of relative rarity. Though given the two wildly different brand trajectories there is little chance the two labels would ever link up again, this early collaboration is proof of BAPE’s OG streetwear bonafides.

When BAPE originally announced its Star Wars collaboration in 2011, it was, oddly enough, a huge deal. While cinematically all was quiet on the Star Wars front—Episode III released in 2005 and the third trilogy beginning with Episode VII would not be announced for some time—the 2011 capsule collection was still a landmark event, one of the most notable streetwear and film collaborations thus far.

At the time, NIGO was still the brand’s creative head (though his role had shrunk following the launch Human Made in 2010), and of his many pop-culture obsessions, Star Wars films and memorabilia was near the top. So, the brand approached the LucasFilm estate to license various characters which where then illustrated in classic Baby Milo fashion. Everyone from Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, to Chewbacca and R2-D2 appeared on BAPE T-shirts, which became immediate collectors items.

In the years since, BAPE has reissued the graphics to celebrate film releases, anniversaries and even figurines drops. Though last year the latest trilogy came to an end, with a new series of films in development, a Disney+ show and various anniversaries on the horizon, more Star Wars collaborations are surely coming down the pipeline.

Given Carhartt’s current cultural standing, it would be ridiculous to not include this collaboration. While today everyone is clamoring for vintage Double Knee work pants and Detroit jackets, when this collection initially dropped in 2006, outside of the European higher-end WIP line, there was little enthusiasm for the workwear brand within the fashion-focused streetwear community. Yet, that lack of awareness did little to dissuade NIGO, whose passion for American workwear—which he later put on full display via Human Made—rivals his love of pop culture.

For the man who boasts one of the most extensive Levi’s archives in the world, working with the definitive American workwear label was a no-brainer, and the ensuing collection of jackets, work pants, vests and trucker hats featuring various camo colorways was an idyllic mix of Carhartt craftsmanship and BAPE’s bold aesthetic.

While somewhat forgotten over the years, for many BAPE collectors the Carhartt collection rose to grail status, with pants and jackets regularly fetching heft four-figure sums on Grailed. BAPE was a significantly smaller company 14 years ago, and when considering age and availability, this a collaboration is up there amongst the brand’s greatest.

Given that BAPE and Undercover began in quite literally the same room, it was only a matter of time before NIGO and Jun Takashi released a collaborative project. Though the two worked on a number of releases throughout their time at iconic Harajuku boutique NOWHERE in the '90s, it was well over a decade before the two came together for an official BAPE x Undercover collab. In 2009, the two designers teamed up with Dover Street Market London for a pop-up installation which included a reimagined NOWHERE built within the store itself. Inside sat location exclusive items from both labels, as well as collaborative sneakers, crewneck sweatshirts and graphic tees, a first despite NIGO and Takahashi decades-long friendship.

While the “LAST ORGY II” sweatshirts are a cult favorite—a nod to the duo’s column in Popeye magazine, itself an homage and spiritual successor to Hiroshi Fujiwara’s original column of the same name—it was the collaborative 1st CAMO Jack Purcells that stole the show. A silhouette Takahashi is particularly fond of, Undercover had released various iterations of the show before, but instead of “UNDERCOVER GROUPIE” on the rubber toe cap, the shoes read “NOWHERE”, in remembrance of the original boutique. Though the two labels have worked together a handful of times since, the NOWHERE capsule is undoubtedly the pinnacle for the two titans of Japanese contemporary fashion.

Last year, Swiss watch giant Swatch partnered up with BAPE to introduce the “Big Bold” collection, a fresh take on Swatch’s classic razor thin watches with camo plastic straps. While most Swatch models opt for a case barely a few millimeters thick, the Big Bold watches were considerably more robust, with a sizeable dial, crown, and hands all over a BAPE head adorned face. With a relatively reasonable $150 price tag, the highly-limited watch was sold at a handful of Swatch locations and various BAPE flagship stores across the world, and sold out instantly.

Available in a number of styles, with various colored metallic dials and camo straps, the watches were reminiscent of the BAPE x G-Shock watches, a huge hit in their 2000s heyday. While those aged poorly, however, considering the universal likability and simplicity of Swatch, this recent collaboration is no doubt a more reliable investment.

Following the success of the first collaboration, earlier this year Swatch announced a second set of Big Bold watches, which, as expected, immediately sold out upon release. Though a 2021 collection has yet to be confirmed, given the success of the first two collections, it may just be inevitable.

Though Undercover or Supreme may be the most storied collaborators on this list, KAWS' work with BAPE is by far the most celebrated. Often listed as BAPE’s greatest collaboration to date, the partnership began in 2001, when KAWS (aka Brian Donnelly) was still a New York-based graffiti artist. After being introduced to his work, NIGO reached out to the artist on asked him to lend his design talents and imagery for a small BAPE capsule, including a highly limited graphic T-shirt and a pillow. The T-shirt, which today fetches hundreds of dollars, featured KAWS climbing a stairwell with his own logo replacing his head, while the pillow was an ape head with KAWS’ signature “X” replacing its eyes.

One of the artist's earliest clothing collaborations, working with NIGO proved monumental, inspiring KAWS to relocate to Tokyo and enter the clothing business himself. Shortly thereafter, the artist launched OriginalFake which, to no one’s surprise, collaborated with BAPE soon thereafter.

After that first collaboration, KAWS continued to work with BAPE on various endeavors, both under his own name, on collectible figures and via his clothing brand. Between Be@rbricks, Bapesta sneakers and graphic tees, today there are hundreds of KAWS x BAPE items, ranging in price from tens to thousands of dollars. Considering the range and scope, its easy to see why the KAWS collaborations are amongst the best.

While in 2020 Nike inarguably dominates the sneaker-adjacent fashion space, prior to this decade, that was certainly not the case. In fact, co-founder and former CEO and president of the board Phil Knight was adamantly opposed to high-fashion collaborations, going on-record on multiple occasions to explicitly state that Nike was not a fashion company.

While the Swoosh stayed primarily in the sports realm, rival adidas embraced fashion and streetwear with open arms, working with high-profile designers early on including Yohji Yamamoto, Rick Owens and, of course, BAPE.

It all began in 2003, when BAPE and adidas announced the Super Ape Star and Super Ape Skate, the former a take on adidas iconic shell toe and the latter a vulcanized mid skate shoe. Featuring a BAPE head camo upper, the Superstar was clearly the superior of the two, and was a downtown New York and Tokyo staple for years after its release.

Back then though, collaborations were on the rise, and working with a niche streetwear label—particularly on a marquee model—was uncommon. Years before collaborative Nikes were on the runway, adidas was working with one of the hottest streetwear labels in Japan, then considered a match—if aesthetically inferior—to the Supreme Nike SB Dunks that dropped a year prior. While the two have presented numerous collabs in the years since, ranging from obscure Originals models to Ultra Boosts and NMDs, the classic shell toes are by far our favorites.

Though Kanye West only officially partnered up with BAPE once, the ensuing shoe was a doozy. Released in 2007, Kanye West’s first ever sneaker collaboration dropped between his second and third studio albums, and was a celebration of the entire “Dropout Bear” era, which began with College Dropout and ended in September of that year with Graduation.

Already a BAPE fan, West regularly wore Bapestas throughout the early-00s, and when the opportunity to finally design his own arrived, West jumped at the chance to make his well-documented dream, creating his own sneaker, a reality.

Tapping into the visual motif of the “Dropout Bear"—which played a pivotal role in and was referenced throughout all three of his first albums—West’s first sneaker design featured a premium leather upper (at the time considered luxe even for BAPE’s standard) and a red, cream and brown colorway. The standout feature, though, was the “Dropout Bear” graphic on the heel, a not-so-subtle reminder that this was a Kanye West sneaker.

Almost a preview of what to come, the shoe did not feature West’s name anywhere and instead simply let the immediately recognizable bear do the talking. It clearly worked, considering the shoes sell for thousands today—that is if you can find them. While Kanye West did star in BAPE’s Spring/Summer 2010 lookbook, the shoe is the only official collaborative product the two ever released, further adding to the allure. In our opinion, it might just be the best Bapesta ever made.

One of BAPE’s earliest collaborations, the Pepsi partnership was, at the time, monumental. While many streetwear fanatics felt the brand had officially sold out, following the release, BAPE proved that a corporate brand partnership could actually display brand synergy, introducing the streetwear label to the masses while providing PepsiCo strong brand adjacency. Furthermore, fans that simply could not afford BAPE suddenly had access to affordable and readily available products—in this case soda.

Years before Ronnie Feig collaborated with brands like Coca-Cola, BAPE showed that working alongside a Fortune 500 company could feel natural. Though the initial project included a small clothing capsule (a reversible jacket, hoodie and T-shirt, all in camo), the clear focus were the soda cans. The aluminum cans came in two sizes with three unique camo color wrappers (pink, green, blue) and while clearly sold to drink, instantly became highly sought after collectibles. The 16 ounce can in particular still sells for nearly $50 today, despite having expired over a decade ago.

Over the next 13 years, BAPE reissued the cans and introduced various other flavors and collectible bottles, with plenty of merch along the way. The collaboration was a regular favorite, until an unfortunate typeface snafu with BAPE sub-label AAPE’s x Pepsi advertisements—the first “A” unfortunately resembled an “R”—led BAPE to pull an entire campaign, leaving the partnership in limbo.

The future was uncertain, but the possibility for any ensuing collaborations was shut down in 2014, when BAPE launched a new collaborative soda with PepsiCo’s number one competitor, Coca-Cola. While the Coca-Cola collaborations are an admirable replacement, the idea no longer feels novel, and lacks, well, the “Joy of Pepsi.”