KAWS and A Bathing Ape forged a landmark partnership in the early 2000s, blending Japanese streetwear with NYC subversion to create some of the most coveted pieces in the history of the culture

When KAWS and Nigo move in sync, street culture levels up. Their friendship has carried art from the gallery into the street, reshaping fashion, collectibles, and design along the way. From Tokyo exhibitions to global apparel drops, this is a creative alliance with deep roots and staying power.

The Beginning: The Kimpsons and Early Support

In 2001, Nigo invited KAWS to stage his first solo Tokyo exhibition. That platform helped launch KAWS’s satirical Kimpsons paintings, reimagining The Simpsons through his own visual lens, and marked the start of a creative relationship built on shared taste and trust (1).

Streetwear Merge: BAPE and OriginalFake

After The Kimpsons, KAWS’s work began appearing in Nigo’s world of BAPE: limited packaging, collectible head pillows, and in-store displays that blurred the line between retail and gallery. By 2006, they launched OriginalFake, a Tokyo-based concept store and clothing line that combined streetwear edge with fine art sensibility. It ran until 2013, and during its lifespan became a landmark for collectors and fans worldwide (5).

The Sotheby’s “Only Lives Twice” Auction

In 2014, Nigo auctioned off an extensive portion of his personal collection at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, in a sale titled Only Lives Twice. The auction included rare BAPE items, furniture, and a trove of KAWS artworks and collectibles, some of which traced directly back to their early collaborations. The event underlined just how deeply KAWS’s art had been integrated into Nigo’s personal and professional narrative (1).

The HUMAN MADE × KAWS Era

In 2021, the two reconnected in a major way for the first HUMAN MADE × KAWS capsule: a set of graphic tees featuring Nigo’s signature animal designs reworked with KAWS’s “XX” eyes (3). Later that year, they followed with a winter drop - varsity jackets, hoodies, trousers, tote bags, and home goods carrying the same playful collision of their styles (2).

Season 2 and Ongoing Releases

By November 2023, the KAWS MADE line had hit its fifth collection. This run launched with a pop-up in New York City and sales at Nigo’s OTSUMO PLAZA in Tokyo, expanding into jackets, coveralls, sweatshirts, accessories, and more. It was another reminder that their collaborations adapt easily to new trends while keeping their original chemistry intact (4, 6).

Lifelong Creative Intelligence

In March 2023, Nigo made it official: KAWS joined HUMAN MADE as an advisor. It formalized what had been true for decades; that beyond the product drops and exhibitions, they share an ongoing creative dialogue and a vision for shaping how art and fashion collide (7, 8).