The Birth of a Legend: What Are BAPE Shoes (Bapestas)? The Bapesta sneaker was introduced in the early 2000s. At first glance, it might remind you of the Nike Air Force 1, and that’s no accident. Nigo was a massive fan of American hip-hop and street culture and wanted to create a Japanese take on iconic silhouettes. The Bapesta took the Air Fo