BAPE
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Phone:
- Cross Street:
- Edinburgh
- Hours:
- Mon-Sat 12pm-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm
Editorial Review for BAPE – by Nicolas Rabinovitch
In Short
Inspired by Tokyo streetwear, the clothes at this Melrose branch of the global BAPE empire resemble something between colorful hipster fashion and straight-up urban culture. The space itself has that "too cool" feeling, much like a designer store on Rodeo, complete with a bouncer just inside the door. The flooring features shiny white mosaic tiles, LCD video monitors playing the latest Kanye video on mirrored walls, and a conveyer belt in the center of the shop moving the shiny kicks around in a circle.
Hits: The stylings are progressive yet easily wearable and the space feels like an art gallery.
Misses: The prices are insanity. Over a hundred dollars for some machine sewn cotton tees? Expect to drop big bucks in the name of kool.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Know Before You GoT-shirts are pre-sealed in airtight bags, so you can only try on the floor samples. All tees are the exact same size so pull any one off a hanger for a fitting.
Look GoodKanye, Pharrell and Bow Wow have all been seen shopping here.
Fun FactBAPE comes from a Japanese expression regarding bathing in lukewarm water, considered a cultural indulgence, and is a play on the indulged kids who buy the clothes.
