It’s 15 years of work for less than 100 clams.

Nigo has released, just in time for the festive season, a slick design book devoted to the entire history of his cult Japanese brand - A BATHING APE®. It documents everything you ever wanted to know about this iconic streetwear label.

Even Andy Warhol would be proud that someone could extend his 15 minutes into 15 years. And its Andy’s work that has been a subtle (and not so subtle) inspiration to Nigo. He has graced the cover of Warhol’s Interview magazine in 2005 and, like Warhol, Nigo has collected a who’s who of celebrities who endorse his products – Kanye West and Pharrell Williams being the most obvious.

Nigo has developed the brand at such a fast rate in such a small time frame, that it’s hard to remember that this entire empire was first built on a graphic T-shirt. “Just as Ralph Lauren is known for their polo shirts, the T-shirt is both a staple and a symbol of A BATHING APE®. It’s expressive and uncomplicated at the same time, making it a medium best suited to our needs,” says Nigo.

Harajuku was where it all began and where Nigo’s label and store cultivated it’s fervent following. Fast forward to now, and A BATHING APE® has stores all over the globe now including New York, Los Angeles and London. Each store is an example of the meticulous detail and presentation that the label is renowned for

This is a must-buy purchase for any T-shirt enthusiast. The book is a comprehensive guide to all of Nigo’s art, design and fashion, as well as his numerous collaborations, both T-shirt related and not. As Nigo describes, “I define collaboration as something I agree to do only with people I like.” And it seems he has love for M.A.C, Marvel, Pepsi, Supreme, Stüssy, X-BOX and more. You can’t forget the other Japanese superstar either, Hello Kitty. He’s been doing T-shirt colabs with Hello Kitty since 2005.

I picked this copy up at Metropolis in Curtain House. There was only a few left, so if you don’t want to be disappointed, head straight there. At this price, it’s an amazing deal. It’s actually cheaper than most BAPE products out there, and your coffee table will thank you.

T-il next time,

Eddie