NOWHERE opens
NIGO and Jun Takahashi opened a shop in the backstreets of Harajuku — the starting point for everything after.
Origin/JapanCountry
Where it began
Ura-Harajuku in the 1990s. The shop NOWHERE, opened in 1993 by NIGO (A BATHING APE) and Jun Takahashi (UNDERCOVER), sold tees and sweats in deliberately small runs. Scarcity was the point: the value of the look was that not everyone could get it.
How it spread
It grew domestically and then exerted heavy influence on street culture abroad — one of the most internationally respected Japanese lineages.
How to recognise it
Military and workwear references, restrained palettes, garments that differentiate through detail.
What it costs
¥5,000–60,000. The secondhand market is deep and prices vary widely by era.
Timeline
Era
early 1990s–mid 2000s (revived late 2010s)
Price range
¥5,000–60,000
Dominant
—
Key brands
BEAMS · UNDERCOVER · Stussy · XLARGE · WTAPS · NEIGHBORHOOD · HUMAN MADE
Headings are written in the language of the style's place of origin.