HELLO BAPE®!: Sanrio Characters Meet Streetwear on A BATHING APE® Collab

NIGO may no longer be at the helm of A BATHING APE®, but the brand continues to demonstrate an unrivaled ability to make non-streetwear figures and designs seem right at home amongst its graphic and camouflage pattern-heavy offerings. The Asian institution recently did just this with Chicago's DON C ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend, and it's doing it again with Sanrio, another globally-recognized universe with origins in Japan.

Teased earlier in the week, the latest collaboration from BAPE® sees Yuko Shimizu's Hello Kitty and the widely-disputed Kuromi front-and-center across 16 different apparel and accessories offerings.

Understandably so, the BAPE® x Sanrio collaboration is marketed towards women and girls, but, as showcased by other popular projects from the streetwear imprint, designs are unisex-friendly.

Classic graphic executions from the BAPE® archive are reimagined with the help of Hello Kitty and Kuromi. Hits of red and pink join the shades of brown traditionally seen on APE HEAD logos. ABC CAMO patterns take over hooded sweaters and trucker hats, while BABY MILO® makes an appearance as plush dolls and keychains. Hello Kitty's iconic red bow and Kuromi's black jester hat appear throughout the capsule.

Enjoy a closer-look at the collection ahead. Items will be available at BAPE STORE®, authorized stores, and, US.BAPE.COM on Saturday, Feb. 28. A wider stateside launch takes place on Saturday, March 14.

If you miss out on the drop, you can search StockX and KICKS CREW for after-market availability.