The Nigo Nike Saga Takes a Surprising Collaborative Turn!

Pop culture, sneakers, music, everything thrives in controversy. And you know how the saying goes: all publicity is good publicity. And nobody knows how to turn things around the way Nike does. But this time, it’s a lil bit different, bolder, and potentially better! You see, after some legal drama, it seems like we’re getting a happy ending. This ending apparently features a Nigo Nike partnership! So, knowing Nigo’s previous alliances, what are these leaks all about? Read on if you wanna know everything going on!

Nigo – A Multi-Label Designer!

Before we get into the current news and rumors, we gotta introduce you to Nigo. He is a Japanese fashion designer, DJ, and entrepreneur. A jack of all trades if you want. From Uniqlo to Kenzo to LV, he certainly left a special mark in the fashion industry. But though he is successful in all of these fields, sneakerheads care about one thing only: sneakers. And well, the man delivered in this area.

Nigo founded Bape in 1993, and well, the brand certainly left a mark in the sneaker industry. How? By dropping the Bapesta kicks that became an icon in pop culture, and a status symbol at some point. If you managed to own a pair of these colorful patent leather shoes, you were the sh*t, you know? However, the Bapesta kicks are heavily inspired by the classic Air Force 1. And years later, Nike decided to sue, but it wasn’t that simple. If you wanna learn more details about this lawsuit, check this out.

An Unexpected Nigo Nike Partnership?

First things first. Nigo is famous for his long-term relationship with Adidas. Although Nigo sold Bape in 2011, he kept on collaborating with Adidas through his other brand Human Made. Unfortunately, it seems like this partnership is coming to an end with the latest news. According to sources by Complex, a new Nigo Nike partnership is in the works! And you know, this is a big deal, especially with Nigo’s long-time loyalty to the brand with three stripes. So this new collab will definitely bring a change of tides for all the parties involved.

Nigo Nike Collab Repercussions

You see, in addition to all the hype that the Swoosh and Nigo will give us, there’s another side to things. This breakup will be another hit to Adidas which is already seriously struggling with a lot of its collabs. From the previously underperforming Ivy Park to the (currently) irrelevant Pharrell partnership, it ain’t looking good. And everyone kinda had hopes that the Fear of God collab will bring a little bit of happy change. But will it really?

What Do We Know?

Although the rumors seem to be solid, neither Nike nor Nigo confirmed anything. However, in a recent Instagram post, we can peep Nigo rocking the Nike Go FlyEase. That could be the soft launch of the partnership, but that remains speculation. And anyway, if this partnership actually comes true, we can’t expect anything to come our way in 2023. How cool would a Nigo Air Force 1 be in 2024? Exactly. In the meantime, you can keep your focus on 2023 with all the awesome releases that you can read about on our blog!