NOWHERE, a joint venture of NIGO® at A BATHING APE® and Jun Takahashi at UNDER COVER, will be recreated in Hong Kong this autumn. Think Silly engages both of them for a conversation on this project.
Text: Goro | Translation: dilettante | Photo: Leong (Interview)
NOWHERE BY NIGO® & JONIO
Tiny Panx (the music group formed by Hiroshi Fujiwara and Takagi Kan) started a column named ‘Last Orgy’ in ‘Takarajima’ Magazine in 1988. With a conversational format, the column tapped on DJ culture, music and fashion. It was proved to be popular among Japanese youth. Jun Takahashi started studying fashion in Tokyo Bunka Fashion College in 1989, and knew NIGO® (who is his junior in school) one year later. With Gunma prefecture as their home town and a shared interest in fashion and music, the pair grew close as friends. Hiroshi met NIGO® (with a common interest in DJ culture and similar in appearance) in A Store Robot in Harajuku in 1991, who ended up inviting him to be Hiroshi’s assistant. Tiny Panx’s ‘Last Orgy’ column made its swan song in 1991.
NIGO® and Jun Takahashi then took over with ‘Last Orgy 2’, and turned into big names in the Japanese fashion industry.
Expanding on the success of ‘Last Orgy 2’, the pair opened NOWHERE in Harajuku on 1st April 1993. Operated as a ‘shop in shop’, selling UNDER COVER by Jun Takahashi as well as vintage, deadstock trainers and other clothing sourced by NIGO® from countries around the world. The shop was well received, despite of being less successful on the financial front (mainly due to the high cost of importing). Encouraged by a friend, NIGO® joined forces with Skatething to launch A BATHING APE IN LUKEWATER. NOWHERE was rid of big signs or promotion, solely rely on word of mouth. However, it quickly attracted a cult following. With new additions such as A BATHING APE®, 40% AGAINST RIGHTS (by Tetsu Nishiyama, TET. and Skatething) and ANARCHY FOREVER FOREVER ANARCHY (by Hiroshi Fujiwara and Jun Takahashi), a long line in front of NOWHERE became a usual sighting on the weekend mornings. This is only the beginning of their legacy.
Following the development of A BATHING APE® and UNDER COVER, NOWHERE came to a halt in 2000. It reappeared in Dover Street Market (London) in 2009 for six months. NOWHERE is now opening in Hong Kong.
N — NIGO®
J — JUN TAKAHASHI
Q: Apparently you knew each other from fashion college back in 1990. What was your first impression of each other? What made you become close friends?
N: Probably the look of Jonio! He was always changing his hair style and colour. Although we were not in the same year, we often bumped into each other in school. We spoke a lot and then became close friends.
J: I think it is the fact that we can talk about our home town. Although we are quite different in character, we share an interest in music and fashion. I remember we used to go to night clubs together all the time to check out music events.
Q: Was the ‘Last Orgy 2’ column a collaborative effort? How did it get started?
J: Both of us are big fans of Tiny Panx’s ‘Last Orgy’. We suggested taking over when it was going to end. It was a casual proposal, but to our surprises the publisher agreed.
N: I was very interested in sharing my love of music and fashion. It was before the internet and what we recommended really became popular.
Q: Do you remember how much budget you had when you first opened NOWHERE? How was it run at the time? Did you really only sell UNDER COVER and clothing sourced by NIGO®?
N: My impression is that we had 400,000 Japanese Yen as the budget. To begin with we only sold UNDER COVER and some clothing I sourced from America — new designs, vintage and deadstock trainers.
Q: Did you launch products as early as the ‘Last Orgy 2’ days? When did the column end?
J: We made some ‘Last Orgy 2’ printed t-shirts, most of which were hand printed by both of us. I think the column lasted three, four years.
N: Neither can I remember when we stopped. I only remember we got so busy that we just had to stop.
Q: NOWHERE was launched 1st April 1993. Why did you choose the April’s Fool day to begin your fashion career?
N: Surely not because of the April’s Fool day!
J: Actually we wanted to open the shop in weekend, and 1st April was the closest day.
N: Also because it is the first day in school in Japan, and we wanted that for our second collaboration.
Q: I heard that the name NOWHERE is derived from ‘Nowhere Man’ by The Beatles. Is there any special meaning to it?
J: The name is derived from ‘Nowhere Man’, yes, but this name also appeared in Sex Pistols artwork too.
N: We just wanted a name! I think we went with our feelings to pick this name. We like the fact that the name can also be ‘now’ and ‘here’, which we thought was interesting.
Q: How was UNDER COVER different from now? Was the idea of street wear more dominant then?
J: To begin with UNDER COVER was divided into ‘punk’ and ‘pop’, because the direction was still taking shape. Each collection would be very different then. Now it is much more coherent and mature, design-wise or product-range-wise.
Q: How did the launch of A BATHING APE IN LUKEWATER in November 1993 affect the development NOWHERE?
N: Not much, it is just that with the business expanding the nature of our work changes over the years.
Q: NOWHERE also used to sell 40% AGAINST RIGHTS by Skatething. How did you know each other? What do you think about the military theme of the label?
N: It was not about military at the time, it was just graphic and print t-shirts.
J: TET. is an old friend, and 40% AGAINST RIGHTS was much celebrated.
N: We buy their products to sell in the shop. They did not put their clothing in NOWHERE like some said.
Q: How did AFFA (ANARCHY FOREVER FOREVER ANARCHY, by Jun and Hiroshi Fujiwara) begin in 1994?
J: AFFA is the first project I worked with Hiroshi. We like 1970s punk music and clothing, therefore we wanted to reinterpret 1990s punk element in the design.
N: The clothes by AFFA were like what our friends would wear at the time.
J: You are right. It was not a commercial decision — Hiroshi and I handmade the products. We use to make print t-shirts and custom-made items
Q: Apart from the increasing workload of the labels, were there any other reason for NOWHERE to close?
N: We had problems with our shop space and moved from Harajuku to Aoyama. We closed in 2000, because of the increasing workload and we wanted to try doing our own things.
Q: Were there any interesting stories during the years of NOWHERE? Did you argue over any issues?
N: Although we are very different, we never argue over the shop.
J: To be honest, there were not many funny stories over those years. We used to talk a lot though, in the shop. It just felt like hanging out with friends being there.
Q: It has been sixteen years since NOWHERE opened in Harajuku. What made you re-create NOWHERE?
N: I just want to try opening shops in different countries.
J: There were not complicated discussions, whether with Dover Street Market or us opening in Hong Kong. We just do what we want to do!
Q: Why chose Dover Street Market as its first re-launch, not somewhere in Tokyo?
N: Jun’s UNDER COVER is stocked in Dover Street Market, and I wanted to put BAPE® in the shop too. We discussed this over dinner and came up with the idea of putting NOWHERE there as a ‘shop in shop’. We thought it is a refreshing thing to do.
Q: Jun designed a range of limited edition ‘UNDER COVER for NOWHERE’ products for the NOWHERE Hong Kong store. Could you tell us a bit more?
J: There will be some UNDER COVER items with the original flavour. Compare to the more high-end direction, the limited edition items will be more minimum and street. Very easy to wear.
Q: Why choose Central in Hong Kong? What is the interior of the shop like?
N: I think Central has a similar vibe as NOWHERE Aoyama.
J: The NOWHERE Hong Kong shop is very similar to the original, in terms of size and design.
I hope we can bring back an authentic vibe from back then.
Q: What are the plans for NOWHERE Hong Kong?
N: Although NOWHERE Hong Kong is only a guerrilla shop at the moment, but we have not decide on a date to close yet.
J: Hong Kong is a lively place, the future plans will be based on how well the Hong Kong shop is received.
NOWHERE HONG KONG
G/F, 28 Wyndham Street,
Central, Hong Kong.
+852 2537 5521
