Nigo x Nike collaboration: Everything we know so far

Nigo, a colossus of Japanese streetwear who established labels like Bape and Human Made and is now the artistic director of French label Kenzo, is collaborating with the sneaker giant, Nike. The collaboration is still in its early stages, and any collaborative product won't be released until 2024.

An insider in the shoe industry alleges that the Japanese designer has never worked with Nike on a product, despite the fact that Nike officials visited him on several trips to Tokyo in the early 2000s.

According to Complex's sources, the Nigo x Nike collaboration is likely to be a sneaker.

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Nigo x Nike collaboration is expected to release in the early months of 2024

Nigo is a Japanese fashion designer, DJ, and entrepreneur, best known as the founder of the popular streetwear brand A Bathing Ape (BAPE). He was born on December 23, 1970, in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. His real name is Tomoaki Nagao.

The designer first started his career in fashion by working as a freelance designer for various Japanese clothing companies. In 1993, he launched his own brand, A Bathing Ape, which quickly became popular among Japanese youth and later gained a global following. The brand is known for its iconic ape logo and bold, graphic designs.

Aside from his work in fashion, the Japanese designer has also collaborated with various artists and musicians, including Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, and Madonna. He has also worked as a DJ, performing under the name "DJ Nigo" and has released several albums.

In 2011, the designer sold his stake in A Bathing Ape to Hong Kong fashion conglomerate I.T Limited, but he remained involved with the brand as a creative director. He has since launched several other fashion ventures, including Human Made and Nigo Corporation. The Japanese designer is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in streetwear fashion and has been credited with helping to popularize the style around the world.

Nigo's Bape Sta, a shoe style inspired by Nike Air Force 1, sold out quickly whenever a new colorway was released in the early 2000s, making it a hot commodity among sneaker collectors.

Although the designer parted ways with Bape in 2011 and officially left the firm in 2013, his relationship with Adidas remained strong. After debuting a capsule collection with the German shoe manufacturer in 2014, the designer has continued to work closely with Human Made, most recently releasing a collection with Adidas in the summer of 2018.

Complex found from a reliable source that Nigo and Adidas will not be renewing their deal. The arrangement between the Japanese designer and Nike certainly prevents any of his brands from cooperating with competitor shoe firms, although Adidas declined to speak on whether it had a continuing partnership with the Japanese designer.

Although the designer hasn't come out and said he's working with Nike, he was spotted donning a pair of Nike Go FlyEase in a recent Instagram photo. Given how rarely the Japanese designer has been seen wearing Nike, the shoe selection hardly seems like a coincidence.

Stay tuned to know more about the collaboration.