NIGO From Japan With Love London’s Design Museum Stages The First Major Retrospective of KENZO’s Artistic Director

What the exhibition covers The Design Museum describes the show as the world’s first full retrospective of NIGO outside Japan, and his first UK museum exhibition. It charts his journey from the back streets of Harajuku, Tokyo, through the founding of A Bathing Ape (BAPE) and later labels, to his current role at KENZO under LVMH.

Across the exhibition, visitors see how NIGO: Developed a visual and business language that merged streetwear drops with luxury aspiration. Used music, art, product design and collectingas equal pillars of his practice. Helped codify the now standard connection between popular culture and high fashion.

700 plus objects from NIGO’s world The exhibition brings together more than 700 objects, with around 600 drawn from NIGO’s own archive, much of which has never been publicly shown before. Highlights include: A recreation of NIGO’s teenage bedroom, filled with records, toys, magazines and clothes that shaped his early eye.

Rare BAPE designs, vintage baseball caps, varsity jackets and other pieces that reveal his fascination with Americana and street style. A life size glass tea housemade specially for the exhibition and hand thrown ceramics by NIGO,…