Tomoaki Nagao, more commonly known as NIGO, is a man of many talents who has proven his influence time and again in the world of streetwear. From fashion designer to businessman to DJ, he has had a prolific career. He notably co-founded the brand Nowhere with creator Jun Takahashi, Billionnaire Boys Club created with Pharrell Williams, now Men's Creative Director at luxury house Louis Vuitton, as well as the Japanese label A Bathing APE (abbreviated "BAPE"), a visionary brand celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. He has also been the artistic director of Kenzo since 2021, succeeding the late Kenzo Takada, founder of the French fashion house.
Photo Credits: @nigo (Instagram)
Add to this list of successful projects his numerous collaborations with adidas spanning nearly twenty years. Indeed, Tomoaki Nagao has brought his creativity and innovative vision to sneaker models from the three-stripes brand, notably through his label Human Made. According to certain sources, it appears that NIGO has switched sides and turned to the Swoosh brand, signing a deal with them.
This news is quite surprising because, as you may recall, a few months ago we reported that Nike was suing the Japanese brand A Bathing APE. Granted, this fashion genius has not worked for BAPE since 2013, but he is still behind creations that draw heavy inspiration from Nike. One can think of the BAPE STA, which closely resembles the Nike Air Force 1, the SK8 STA echoing the Nike Dunk Low, and the COURT STA bearing a strong resemblance to the Air Jordan 1.
Photo Credits: @verdy (Instagram)
According to rumors, the Nigo x Nike collaboration should only see the light of day in 2024, as it is still in its early stages. It is expected to revolve around a pair of sneakers and an apparel collection, though nothing has been confirmed by either party. In the meantime, NIGO was spotted wearing a pair of Nike FlyEase on the Instagram account of @verdy, the founder of the label Girls Don't Cry. This could be a hint confirming this future partnership.