Andrew Rizzo In 2015, Bape celebrated the 10th anniversary of its New York City flagship with one of the most star-studded streetwear collaborations ever. The collection pulled together legendary graffiti artists Stash and Futura, iconic fashion designers Don C and Virgil Abloh by way of RSVP Gallery, and hip-hop heavyweights Flatbush Zombies, Big Sean, Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Wiz Khalifa, and even a young, pre-Rodeo (and pre-Jordan) Travis Scott.
What do all those rappers have in common? A tie to Def Jam Recordings — many through Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music. The record label itself served as the tenth member of the 2015 Bape collection, with each collaborator releasing their own shark hoodie and tee.
Ten years later, Def Jam and Bape are back at it again, this time with a complete capsule collection that includes apparel and footwear for the first time in their shared history. The duo has tapped longtime Def Jam hip-hop group Onyx, born out of Queens, New York, to showcase the collection.
The sneaker of choice is the Bape Skull Sta — a not-so-discreet riff on the adidas Superstar silhouette (which Bape has collaborated on multiple times). Grey and beige colorways featuring Bape’s iconic camo print are on tap, with the Def Jam logo appearing sporadically within the pattern. As for the apparel, Onyx is seen rocking matching gorilla logo tees and shark hoodies.
The Def Jam x Bape capsule is expected to release on October 18th via Bape in-store and online. Bape and Def Jam are also hosting an afterparty in NYC at 8:00 PM on 10/16; interested parties must RSVP at rsvp@defjamcafe.net to receive the location. See official images of the sneakers below if you’re looking to cop.
