BAPE and mastermind JAPAN Rework Vintage Grunge for Their 19th Collaboration
STA and SKULL motifs meet sun-faded washes across denim, knitwear and a 100-piece BAPEX watch.
Summary
BAPE and mastermind JAPAN have returned for their 19th collaboration, titled mastermind A BATHING APE 19TH, built on a Vintage and Grunge concept
The lineup spans a denim jacket and pants, an argyle knit cardigan, a crewneck sweat, a tee and an original BAPEX watch
Both houses' signature icons run throughout, with BAPE's STA and mastermind's SKULL worked into patchwork, knitwear and graphics
BAPE and mastermind JAPAN have joined forces once again for “mastermind A BATHING APE 19TH,” the 19th chapter in a long-running partnership between the two Japanese labels. This time the collection takes “Vintage x Grunge” as its guiding idea, filtering the appeal of timeless vintage clothing through a contemporary streetwear lens.
The collaboration’s throughline is the marriage of each brand’s defining iconography. Across the range, BAPE’s STA emblem and mastermind’s SKULL sit side by side, giving the collection a dual signature that reads instantly as the work of both houses rather than one dressing up in the other’s clothes.
That interplay is clearest on the denim. Both the jacket and the pants render the STA and SKULL motifs in patchwork, laid over faded, weathered washes meant to evoke well-worn vintage denim. The result leans into a hand-crafted, lived-in feel, with the two logos boldly embedded in the fabric rather than simply printed on top.
The knit cardigan takes a more classic route. Drawing on the traditional argyle sweater, it pairs a muted argyle pattern on the front with STA and SKULL motifs finely knitted into the back, splitting the difference between preppy heritage and street sensibility. The crewneck sweat and tee, meanwhile, lean fully grunge: both carry sun-fade treatments and subtle distressing for a broken-in look, topped with a collegiate-style graphic that combines the APE HEAD silhouette with the SKULL for a vintage sportswear mood that the brands say deepens the more the pieces are worn.
Anchoring the collection is the accessory that collectors will chase hardest. The BAPEX watch arrives in a refined color pairing suggestive of gold and onyx, and comes as a special serialized edition limited to just 100 pieces worldwide, positioning it as the clear centerpiece of the drop.
“mastermind A BATHING APE 19TH” drops August 15 at BAPEXCLUSIVE AOYAMA and the BAPE webstore, with an in-store lottery beginning at 10:00 a.m. outside the Aoyama location for those shopping in person.
