The BAPE STA has spent most of its life being compared to something else. It arrived in the early 2000s looking very close to a Nike Air Force 1, with a shooting star in place of the swoosh and APE where the midsole reads AIR. Today the comparison that matters to a buyer is a different one: is this pair real, and from which era?
Date the pair first
Sources do not agree on the launch year. Sneaker Freaker says 2000, others say 2002, and we found no official answer. What is well documented is the end of the story. Nike sued BAPE in New York in January 2023 over five silhouettes: the BAPE STA, BAPE STA Mid, SK8 STA, COURT STA and COURT STA High.
The case settled in April 2024. BAPE agreed to discontinue the STA Mid, COURT STA and COURT STA High, and to change the design of the BAPE STA and SK8 STA. The changes were not made public. In June 2024 the Bapesta OS arrived with a larger star that runs down to the midsole, which Complex described as the first release after the settlement.
