Bape bipolarity

Bathing Ape and I have never had the most harmonious relationship. So much so I can go as far to say I hate it. Well hated it. No, I hate it. See I just can't make my mind up about the little ape head.

I would pass the store on Upper James Street in London, press my face up against the window and just release a torrent of obscenities, describing how irrelevant the brand was and how much I despised the ape head branding they'd put on existing products and charge triple the price.

My main gripe was the loudness of the branding.

Like this for instance. I mean it's just not something that should ever be worn, ironically or not.

These are just Air Force 1s in a really bad shade of brown

For me the brand never really registered on my radar, until today. Recently I've acquired an unrelenting taste for camo, I don't know where it came from but I think it's the modern take on it I've seen from brands such as YMC and Undercover (see the examples here and here, respectively), moving away from the dark green to more washed and khaki variations.

So Bape released the images for its Spring Summer 2012 collection, of which I chosen some of my favourite images which no doubt includes some camo.

1ST CAMO GRADATION FIELD COAT IN KHAKI CAMO

OILED CLOTH MOUNTAIN PARKA NAVY x YELLOWABC GINGHAM CRAZY BD SHIRT 

1ST CAMO GRADATION FIELD JACKET

As you can see even in the prints the logo is very subtle and it's integrated very stealthily which I love. I'll definitely be copping one of these jackets when they come out and maybe we can see a change in my Bape bipolarity.

(Images from 2012 SS Men's lookbook)