What was Nigo’s birth name, before he became known as the founder of A Bathing Ape?

Nigo’s birth name is Tomoaki Nagao.

Nigo is the professional name of the Japanese designer, producer, and cultural figure who founded A Bathing Ape, commonly abbreviated as BAPE, in 1993. The name “Nigo” means “number two” in Japanese and refers to his resemblance to designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, who influenced him.

BAPE emerged from Tokyo’s Harajuku streetwear scene and became known for limited production, bold graphics, camouflage patterns, and the ape-head logo. Its scarcity and distinctive visual language made it especially influential among global sneaker and hip-hop audiences.

Nigo later worked on other fashion projects, including Human Made, and became artistic director of Kenzo in 2021. A frequent confusion is treating BAPE and Human Made as the same label: both are associated with Nigo, but they are separate brands with different histories and aesthetics.