Summary:
- BAPE, Spotify, and Central Cee's SYNA brand release a collaborative streetwear collection with the UK rapper as Creative Director
- Designs reference the purple BAPE hoodie worn in hip-hop culture, featuring a puffer jacket, football jersey, and graphic tees
- Each piece includes hidden labels linking to a Central Cee Spotify playlist, available November 25 at BAPE stores and online
BAPE, Spotify, and Central Cee's brand SYNA have joined forces for a streetwear collection releasing November 25. The UK rapper serves as Creative Director, marking a new approach to how Spotify works with artists on physical merchandise.
The capsule centers on a purple color palette. Central Cee took direct inspiration from a purple BAPE hoodie that became a reference point in hip-hop fashion. This color appears throughout the line, most prominently in a puffer jacket that recreates a BAPE colorway the artist has worn before.
The collection includes several key pieces. A football jersey combines athletic wear with streetwear styling. A "Synning BAPE" graphic tee reinterprets BAPE's signature designs through the SYNA lens. Each garment connects to the music that influenced its creation. Select labels contain hidden links that take buyers to a playlist Central Cee curated for Spotify.
BABY MILO graphics appear across the collection. The designs reflect London youth culture, where Central Cee built his following. The artist said he felt confident directing this partnership between the three brands and looks forward to seeing people wear the pieces.
The collaboration represents an evolution for Spotify's artist partnerships. Rather than standard promotional merchandise, the company used BAPE products as a platform for Central Cee's design vision. This approach gives the artist control over how his brand intersects with an established streetwear label.
BAPE has collaborated with musicians before, but this partnership adds a streaming platform to the equation. The hidden Spotify links in the clothing create a bridge between physical fashion and digital music. Buyers get access to a curated listening experience tied directly to the garments they purchase.
Central Cee's SYNA brand gains exposure through alignment with BAPE's global distribution network. The collection will launch at BAPE STORE locations worldwide and on both BAPE and SYNA online shops. This gives the UK artist's brand access to markets where he has growing but not yet dominant presence.
Purple functions as the visual anchor. The color carries specific associations in hip-hop fashion, linked to particular eras and artists who wore BAPE during the brand's peak influence periods. By centering the collection on this shade, Central Cee connects his work to that history while adding his own perspective.
The football jersey stands out as a practical piece. Football culture overlaps significantly with UK rap and grime scenes. Players and musicians frequently cross-promote, appearing in each other's content. A jersey in this collection speaks directly to that intersection.
The graphic tee displays the "Synning BAPE" text, combining Central Cee's term for his artistic process with the Japanese streetwear brand's name. This piece makes the collaboration most explicit, putting both identities in direct conversation on the same garment.
BABY MILO graphics add a playful element. The cartoon character has appeared on BAPE products for years, serving as a softer counterpoint to the brand's camo patterns and ape logo. Including MILO in this collection maintains continuity with BAPE's broader aesthetic language.
London youth culture shapes the overall design philosophy. Central Cee emerged from UK drill and road rap scenes where fashion serves as both personal expression and group identity. The pieces in this collection reflect that environment, where brand names carry specific meanings and wearing certain items signals alignment with particular sounds and communities.
The November 25 release date positions the collection for holiday shopping while still giving buyers time to receive items before year-end. Global availability at BAPE stores and online means fans across different markets get simultaneous access.
This collaboration shows how streaming platforms now extend beyond digital spaces into physical products. Spotify gains tangible presence through clothing while Central Cee and BAPE reach audiences who engage with music primarily through the platform. The hidden playlist links create a reason to return to Spotify after purchase, extending the relationship beyond the initial transaction.
Kristin Kaye
Insatiably curious about human expression, she immerses herself in literature, theater, art, and dance. Her academic journey led to degrees in Modern Literature, where she delved into The Furioso, and Historical Sciences with a focus on Contemporary History. Her studies took her to the prestigious Erasmus University Rotterdam, broadening her international perspective.
Her passion for culture isn't confined to personal enjoyment—it spills onto the pages of various publications. There, she explores not only artistic endeavors but also civil rights issues and the myriad ways human culture manifests itself. For her, writing about these topics isn't just a profession; it's an irresistible calling that stems from her deep-seated fascination with the human experience.