NIGO Winner of the 40th Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix

NIGO Winner of the 40th Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix

The Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix was established in 1983 to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the launch of the Mainichi Newspapers, aiming to develop and enliven culture and industry in Japan by rewarding outstanding achievements in the fashion industry.

The winners of the 2022 (40th) Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix have been decided, the Grand Prize was awarded to NIGO, Artistic Director of KENZO, Designer of HUMAN MADE, and CEO / Creative Director of Otsumo Co., Ltd.

Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix
https://macs.mainichi.co.jp/fashion

Comments by NIGO

I am greatly honoured to receive the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix.
I was just an amatuer who loved fashion when I fumbled my way into making clothes, and now I realize that 30 years have passed. In a sense, the area in which I have been active - street fashion - is on a different vector to the fashion world, and until now I've never desired recognition. But, I accept this prize with the grateful feeling that I'm being commended for all that I've done until this point.

At a time when I was thinking about retirement, at the invitation of my great friend Virgil Abloh, I was able to present two collections for Louis Vuitton and then LVMH entrusted me with my illustrious predecessor Takada Kenzo-san's KENZO. So, for now, I feel that I will have something to offer to the world of fashion for a little while longer.

My current working life is travelling to Paris for KENZO and back to Tokyo for HUMAN MADE. It's quite tough in a physical sense, but also in keeping up with what's happening in the outside world. In a fashion world that's in the midst of great changes, I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep doing this, but while I can still be a positive force for Japanese fashion, I want to continue.