Mimicking the Bathing Ape
Counterfeit Fashion Is Taking Over
By Adrian Avila

In a time when counterfeited Gucci and Louis Vuitton hand bags can be found with great ease, it would be safe to say that counterfeiting is very much a part of the fashion world. But today's knock-off consumer is not just the middle-aged woman looking for that perfect purse, but your local hip hop head looking for some gear he saw in a video.

The author displaying full BAPE attire.

Looking fresh is a must, it can get very expensive to be the top of the crop. So the reasonable thing is to get the knock-off that can come at a fraction of the price with no sacrifice to the look.

The knock-offs industry has become one of the largest in the world -- up to 450 billion, according to the International Chamber of Commerce. In facts, knock-offs are becoming to the fashion world what free-download MP3's are to the music industry -- something that might have seemed flattering at first, then quickly became a major threat.

Bathing Ape, one of the most sought-after clothing lines in the world for young people, is starting to feel the financial dent that the knock-offs are inflicting. On their official website, one of the first things that pops up is a warning/plea to consumers not to buy the counterfeits.

Bathing Ape clothing, also known as BAPE, is the hottest trend in youth culture right now. The clothing line is out of Japan, and was created by DJ Nigo, who founded the very exclusive company more than ten years ago. With its bold colors and designs, BAPE is very appealing to fashion-conscious teens. Bright pink, yellow and teal are the main color line-up for the out-of-reach line, but a cool camo selection is also available for those who have not yet reached that level of flavor.

BAPE is all over music videos, worn by artists such as Pharrel of the Neptunes and Lil Wayne. Since being picked up by leading artists, BAPE clothing has been in high demand. Combined with exclusivity, this means high prices: $250 for a hoodie or $230-$375 for a pair of sneakers.   Even an ordinary T-shirt will run you about $100.

On a recent trip to the fashion city of New York, I got a first hand look at how the BAPE phenomenon is taking over the counterfeiting game.   On Canal Street, I head the usual calls--“I got Louis, Gucci, need a Rolex?”--but a new phrase was whispered as well, from every corner: “I got that BAPE.”

A guy selling the knock-off BAPE in the food court of the Manhattan Mall approached my friend Jose, who came out with me from Californiato visit the BAPE store in the SOHO district. The BAPE store is very low-key, made known only by a small logo in the storefront. Jose visited the store earlier that day and ended up buying an original BAPE polo shirt for $129.

The author's bodyguard also has a fondness for BAPE.

Now, Jose had the chance to purchase a “super copy” of the brand. In a gym back held underneath the table, vendors carried many different styles of shirts. Jose ended up getting two shirts for $60, shaving   $30 off the asking price.

As we walked out of mall, I asked Jose what it was about BAPE that makes him go to such great lengths as traveling across the country. He said, “It is so hard to find that when people see you with it, is a sign to them that you take pride in the way you look.”

The problem—as with fake handbags—is that once people start to figure out that the counterfeits are out there on the market, they are going to look twice at those wearing the BAPE. That's what people do now with Gucci purses -- if you don't look rich enough or high-class enough, then the bag that you hold must be a fake. This will soon be the case with BAPE--people will just think that it is a knock-off even if it is the real thing. So, really, why pay more for the real thing when people will just assume it's a knock-off anyway?

I asked Jose what was next for him. “Well,” he answered, “now I am on the hunt for the matching shoes, son.”

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