who owns bape

BAPE (A Bathing Ape) is currently co-owned by CVC Capital Partners and Sham Kar Wai, founder of I.T Limited. CVC acquired a significant stake after the brand became independent from I.T Limited in 2021, specifically acquiring co- control of BAPE. I.T Limited, a Hong Kong fashion conglomerate, was the previous major owner, having acquired a large stake in BAPE in 2011. CVC and Sham Kar Wai have been exploring potential exit options for the brand, including IPO or trade sale, but no final decision has been made yet. BAPE was originally founded by Nigo (Tomoaki Nagao) in 1993 in Tokyo, Japan.