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Desperately seeking the Bape side chair

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Japanese fashion designer A Bathing Ape’s fun update of the classic Eames fiberglass shell chair has been all over the design blogs this week. The chairs come in pink, blue and green and will be underscored with the designer’s trademark streetwear camouflage pattern. But when I tried to learn a few basic details -- how do you buy one, for instance -- no one seemed to know anything. They are due out Friday in Japan, but beyond that, details were scarce.

Representatives at A Bathing Ape’s Melrose store, Bape, said they had no word on when -- or if -- the chair will be available in the United States (though they did say it should retail for “somewhere around $500”). Their only advice for Bape fans: Keep looking for updates at bape.com.

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The Bape chairs are manufactured by L.A.’s own Modernica. I phoned Modernica’s Beverly Boulevard store, which didn’t know much other than everyone seemed to be calling about them. So I phoned the Modernica warehouse, and owner Frank Novak said, ‘The story just blew up.’ He was getting calls from as far away as Australia.

Even Novak could offer no additional details, but give him credit. Less than a half-hour after I called, he had posted this on the Modernica blog: ‘To reserve your Modernica/BAPE chair, contact websupport@modernica.net.’

-- Lisa Boone

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