Item: A Bathing Ape x Hanshin Tigers collaboration t-shirt (Black)
Description: One of the all time biggest and most celebrated baseball teams in Japan, and one of the biggest, most well-known clothing companies coming together for a collaborative effort? This one was big even before it released. Word on the street is that Nigo did this to celebrate the Hanshin Tigers and their victory in the Japanese baseball championships, but this must've been thought out months prior to it happening (I remember this release was announced even before the Hanshin Tigers won), so right there Nigo knew it would be a huge success. Being a born-again Osakan almost required me to at least pick one of these items up. Arriving at 10am to the Hankyu Department Store in Umeda (the only store selling these items), I was greeted by already more than 800 people waiting there since, rumor has it, 5am in the morning. The best part about this release is that not only did it attract the usual Bathing Ape fans, but the Hanshin Tigers fans as well. Could easily account for more than 500 of those people. Unfortunately I wasn't able to purchase anything from this release on the first day but rather the 3rd day due to conflicting work schedules but I'm glad to own a piece of Osaka/streetwear/fashion history.