In London, the world of Nigo, a fashion designer who has blurred the boundaries between East and West

The exhibition is not a simple overview of clothes, but a deep journey into the creative DNA of an artist without academic training who built an empire based on instinct. Interviewed by Adnkronos, Rachel Hayek, co-curator of the exhibition together with Esme Hawes, describes the retrospective as an experience divided into four fundamental acts. “The narrative begins from the roots, with a faithful reconstruction of Nigo’s bedroom. A place where everything began when he was still a teenager and from which he has, incredibly, preserved numerous objects that represented a lot of his education and which are now on display for the first time in London. It was within these four walls that he began to approach fashion and those influences remained with him throughout his life.”

This link with the past is visible in the approximately 700 objects on display, which include rarities from the designer’s personal archive, consisting of over 10,000 pieces, visible to the general public outside Japan for the first time. One of the strengths of the exhibition is the access to Nigo’s archive which Rachel Hayek defines as a real “toolbox from which the designer draws to sample and create new visions, including objects collected from everyday life and during his travels: from denim fabrics to military jackets through to scraps of paper with symbols, drawings, writings and logos of vintage America from which he drew a lot of inspiration”.

The exhibition then follows the evolution of Nigo’s thirty-year career, analyzing his global impact and how he became, again quoting Hayek, “the focal point of popular culture itself, both Eastern and Western”. Japanese identity plays a crucial role in understanding its aesthetics. In an industry often associated with cutting-edge technology, Nigo has been able to impose the strength of Japanese style and craftsmanship. According to the curator, what makes the Japanese approach embodied by Nigo unique is the ability to “see no barriers in mixing high level and low, attributing the same value to street style as luxury”. This concept of cultural sampling allows us to combine extremely precise details and craftsmanship with disparate influences, making each piece a story in its own right.

Not surprisingly, the exhibition closes with its new traditions, where Nigo explores traditional Japanese craftsmanship and ceramics. Among the most iconic pieces on display are the designer’s hand-modeled ceramics inside a life-size glass teahouse and recent collaborations with Pharrell Williams for Louis Vuitton. Precisely regarding the latter, Rachel Hayek does not hide her enthusiasm, calling them one of her favorite parts: “I think some of those pieces are really splendid, like the Sashiko embroidery or the lobster-shaped bag that speaks of their friendship; it’s a beautiful ode to their partnership over the years.”

For anyone who decides to visit “Nigo: from Japan with love” at the Design Museum, running until October 4, the curator’s advice is to take the time to absorb every detail: “Free up a couple of hours in your diary and come with a patient eye to find the design objects that speak to you most personally. Because, fundamentally, there is a bit of Nigo in all of us.” (by Alessandro Allocca)