BAPE is co-controlled by CVC Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and Sham Kar Wai, the founder of the Hong Kong retailer I.T. CVC announced that it had completed its investment and gained "co-control" of the brand on June 3, 2021. Nigo has not owned BAPE since 2011, when I.T bought 90% of the company. The latest reports we found, from June 2025, still describe CVC and Sham as co-owners. We checked all of this on November 12, 2026.
The short timeline
| Year | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Nowhere Co., Ltd is set up in Harajuku on April 1. It is still the company behind the brand. | BAPE Japan company profile |
| 2011 | I.T buys 90% of Nowhere Co. for 230 million yen, about $2.8 million | Deluxmag, Inside Retail |
| 2013 | Nigo leaves the brand |
