DESIGN MUSEUM UNVEILS RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION NIGO: FROM JAPAN WITH LOVE
words by BEX WHITLEY
The Design Museum has opened the first retrospective exhibition dedicated to the career of visionary designer and creative director NIGO. While many artists never live to see their work honoured in such a way, there’s a poignancy that comes with an exhibition recognising a creative within their lifetime. NIGO: From Japan with Love comprises more than 700 objects, 600 of which have been directly sourced from the designer’s personal archive. Each item has been selected by NIGO himself, with clear intention and personal significance.
photo credit: ELLIOT JAMES KENNEDY
Known to many as the founder of A Bathing Ape and Pharrell’s co-founder of Billionaire Boys Club, NIGO is widely considered one of the founding fathers of ‘hype culture’. Among the first designers to bridge luxury fashion and streetwear, he built his reputation through his own labels before becoming the first Japanese Artistic Director of KENZO since founder Kenzo Takada.
The exhibition is divided into four sections: The Future is in the Past, Evolution, The NIGO Effect and New Traditions. It begins with a replica of the teenager 1980’s Tokyo bedroom, where the influence of American culture on the creative culture is immediately introduced. In post-war Japan, Americana carried a rebellious weight, and the young creatives' early collecting signals an act of defiance. Items include records, magazines and clothing items that would later define his visual identity.
“My personal archive, which has remained mostly private until now, has been the source of my craftsmanship, mentoring me and being there for me through my creative journey. ”
photo credit: LUKE HAYES
While NIGO is primarily known for his ventures in fashion, the exhibition reveals the extent of multi-industry influence. A marketing maverick, many of his now signature approaches – brand collaborations, limited drops and lifestyle ventures – were once considered unorthodox, yet have since become the blueprint for both luxury and streetwear brands alike. Far beyond his designs, NIGO is displayed as a pioneer of the concept of “creating the brand universe.”
Of course, significant attention is given to A Bathing Ape. The brand's origins are explored, including items from the all-night Planet of the Apes marathons alongside graphic designer Shinichiro Nakamura, resulting in the creation of the brand's identity. The deeper meanings behind the brand are explored, from the process behind the cult camouflage print to the original BAPE logo, featuring a bathing ape submerged in lukewarm water, revealed to reference a Japanese proverb mocking eternal youth.
photo credit: SATOSHI NAGARE
courtesy of NIGO 36
In one cabinet sits photographer Shawn Mortensen’s jacket, worn by The Notorious B.I.G. during a 1996 shoot. The image reportedly led the rapper to enquire about the designer, prompting NIGO to create bespoke XXL pieces for him that tragically never arrived before his death the following year. Just across the room is the image NIGO shared to announce his departure from BAPE, which mirrored a portrait commissioned by the first Tokugawa shogun following his greatest military defeat. These juxtapositions cement NIGO’s position as something rare: a figure who propelled streetwear into the modern era while continuously referencing historical ritual and symbolism.
photo credit: ELLIOT JAMES KENNEDY
The designer's collaborations have ranged from KAWS and Pepsi to Nintendo, signifying both his sustained impact on the fashion landscape as well as a career marked by the respect of leaders within the industry. Among the most significant was NIGO's relationship with Virgil Abloh, who described him as his “spiritual mentor.” In 2020, a capsule collection for Louis Vuitton saw the pair collaborate with LV², a collection drawing influence from Savile Row tailoring, English mod styles and Japanese denim under the house's monogram. It was Abloh's first collaboration since arriving at the house, and the choice signalled his understanding of NIGO’s relevance within the architecture of contemporary fashion.
“The history of American vintage is about 130 years, but the Japanese tea ceremony and ceramics have around 450 years of history.”
photo credit: LUKE HAYES
Then, in contrast to everything that precedes it, comes the final room of the exhibition. After spaces dedicated to hype drops, cult collaborations and runway looks, New Traditions features twenty-five hand-thrown ceramics made in NIGO's Tokyo studio. Where the opening bedroom introduced a young Japanese creative immersing himself in American culture, New Traditions closes the circle, signalling his return to Japanese rituals as he currently trains to become a master of the tea ceremony.
“A lot of things are hidden in the past. I look in that direction to find new things.”
NIGO: From Japan with Love is at the Design Museum, London, until 4 October 2026.
