NOWHERE is a shop that has been at the center of the streetwear world it’s whole existence. While I never had the privilegeĀ of visiting the store before it’s closure, I was able to research key moments in it’s history.
Below is an excerpt from theĀ brief history of NOWHERE I wrote,Ā you can read the the rest overĀ on Grailed.
Streetwear through the 1990s was a regional phenomenon. The success of a label was determined through its ability to proliferate amongst a local scene. Brands of the time found an audience through adjacent subcultures like BMX, skateboarding, punk and hip-hop to push their products. The ’90s saw the emergence of Stussy as a mainstream brand and Supreme as a force within New York’s downtown scene. As American streetwear brands built their empire, so did a young generation of streetwear designers from Japan.
Within the greater Japanese fashion industry, a particular area held particular influence: Urahara. The neighborhood was home base for those who ultimately would become the leaders of Japanese streetwear. Brands like A Bathing Ape, Bounty Hunter, Undercover, WTAPS and Neighborhood owe much of their success to Urahara and the community that grew around it. In particular, Jun Takahashi and Nigo started something special by opening NOWHERE in 1993. The original store was the first place to sell both Undercover and BAPE and itās unique reputation and product mix gives it a legendary status in the streetwear world to this day.
