Series: Kaws x Baby Milo Bapesta by A Bathing Ape

Date Purchased: September 2005

Story:  At probably the peak of Bathing Ape’s popularity in the early 2000’s (just prior to opening their shops in the US) I probably owned four-five pairs of their shoes.  All of them were purchased online from resellers except for this pair.  This was the only pair I purchased directly from one of their shops – the Kyoto Footsoldier back in 2005.  Footsoldier was Bape’s shop devoted to their shoes.  Their normal “Busyworks” shops sold shoes, but they had two Footsoldier shops – one in Kyoto and one in Daikanyama.  The upper level of Bape Exclusive was also strictly for shoes as well.  The shoe stores were incredible, probably most famous for the revolving belt of colourful sneakers.  They had their trademark coloured tiled carpets and sleek shelving.  I still remember walking into Bape Exclusive staring at the wall of rare releases.  Naively, I asked if they were for sale – the store clerk just smiled (sort of) a shook his head.  What was fun about this trip to Japan was my friend Rich asked me to pick him up a pair of patent Bapestas in a Chicago Bears type colourway.  Those were the first pair of Bape (and Bape merchandise) I ever purchased. It wasn’t until the end of the trip that I picked these up for myself.  Having lugged his pair all over Japan, I couldn’t leave without one of my own.  My wife actually picked this Milo pattern out as it was a bit different from the others.