Japenese streetwear label NEIGHBORHOOD is teaming up with BAPE in honor of HOODS Hong Kong’s 10th anniversary, with a collaboration modeled by everyone’s new favorite hip-hop duo (second to OutKast of course) Rae Sremmurd. There is no doubt that the team of Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi have been on your radar this year since the release of their massive triple album and recently dropped Christmas single, both of which are well worth your time. The pair oozes cool in this collection of jackets, sweaters, and crewnecks.
We get to see both BAPE and NEIGHBORHOOD sharing the spotlight and bringing brand staples to the table for a two-toned collection that feels firmly rooted in both camps. NEIGHBORHOOD’s trademark denim is on display, mixing quite well with the iconic BAPE camo-print. You’d think camo and denim wouldn’t work — hell even typing it feels so wrong — but they make it fly with some clever design that sees camo-stitching outlined on the denim.
The collection also includes hats, figurines, buttons, and tee shirts that mix the NEIGHBORHOOD branding with BAPE iconography. While you may think a split-down-the-middle two-toned collection is a lazy execution on the whole brand-collab model, you aren’t paying close enough attention. This is a highlighting of the spirit of equal partnership that is so customary and unique to a duo, and they couldn’t pick a fresher pair to help drive that point home than the boys of Rae Sremmurd.
The collection is dropping this Saturday at HOODS Hong Kong, with a wider release planned for BAPE and HOODS flagships in Japan and Beijing on January 2nd. BAPE and Rae Sremmurd enthusiasts have quite a year ahead of them!
Check out the full collection below.