Why? Nigo’s friends were the crème de la crème of Japanese urban culture and drove the scene by their mere existence. What was once born out of financial necessity would become a successful marketing strategy for BAPE. Nigo produced T-shirts in batches of 30-50, half of them he would sell and the other half he would hand out to friends. BAPE empireĭuring its early years, BAPE revolutionized the industry with its strategy, which was very new at the time. Such was the artist’s influence on the young man that he earned the nickname “Nigo”, which means Number 2 – Fujiwara’s number 2. Among other things, he is credited with being one of the first hip-hop DJs in Japan. Fujiwara was by then already a major figure in the Japanese streetwear scene. With the help of the “Godfather of Harajuku” Hiroshi Fujiwara, both Nigo and Jun Takahashi were able to push NOWHERE and its influence throughout Japan. An ironic nod to the overindulgence of young streetwear consumers. On the other hand, the motif is a reference to the Japanese expression “an ape bathing in warm water”. The birth of BAPEįor the name and logo, Nigo was inspired on the one hand by its reference movie, ‘Planet of the Apes’. The graphic designer would help him shape the elements that today have made BAPE a globally recognizable brand: the camouflage, the jumpsuit and the name. Shortly after opening the store, Nigo called Sk8thing to launch his own clothing brand, A Bathing Ape, or BAPE. The two would become close friends at Bunka Fashion College, to which Nigo attributes nothing relevant other than meeting Takahashi. After a few years working as an editor and stylist at ‘Popeye’ magazine, Nigo teamed up with his friend Jun Takahashi, of Undercover, to open the ‘NOWHERE’ store in Tokyo’s fashion district, Ura-Harajuku.
When he started he was almost a passive subject of Streewear culture but it was only a matter of time. Nigo is one of those regulars in the Japanese underground scene. The brilliant mind behind it? Tomoaki Nagao, aka Nigo, the current creative director at Kenzo. With its iconic camouflage print, shark hoodies, cute BABY MILO and its controversial BAPEsta sneaker, the brand has been winning hearts for three decades. Below, our guide to the top streetwear labels, the ones with the greatest influence that go beyond the hype.Since its inception in 1993, BAPE has established itself as one of the most recognized streetwear brands in the world and certainly the most from Japan. The are now many players in the field, but there are also leaders, key brands that define and characterize luxury streetwear. Amidst all the market power and all the noise, however, there are genuine creatives that continue to push the scene, with emerging brands-from Tbilisi to Los Angeles to Kyoto to Lisbon and beyond-exploring and transgressing streetwear language each year. And the statement sneaker has taken over every house. Balenciaga is without a doubt a streetwear label, grounded in club culture, dark irony and Georgian irreverence. The late Virgil Abloh brought his post-streetwear, reference-heavy aesthetic to Louis Vuitton.
Jun Takahashi’s Undercover is a continually substantive fixture at Paris Fashion Week. James Jebbia’s Supreme has collaborated with Burberry and Louis Vuitton, and has become the most valuable brand in the luxury resale market.
Today, a space that was long considered lesser-than now leads the dialogue in the luxury world. But here are a few visible signs of hype and utter obsession: blocks of kids camping out on Spring Street for Supreme’s latest drop riots outside Virgil Abloh’s early Off-White shows collections from Nigo’s A Bathing Ape selling out almost instantly, satisfying only 10 percent of his consumer base. What were the defining moments that brought this subcultural movement to the forefront? What made streetwear so impactful in the luxury fashion world? It’s hard to nail down a single instance or even a series. Robb Recommends: Why These Belgian-Style Loafers Are the Perfect Summer Shoe Here’s a Unique Father’s Day Idea for the Dad Who Loves Watches and Whiskyīespoke Tailor Cifonelli Teamed Up With Le Mans for a Menswear Collab You Can Wear All Year
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