Nigo founded A Bathing Ape fifteen years ago, and although he can count Kanye West, Pharrell, and Lil Wayne among his fans, he still has his fair share of haters. In particular, the biggest criticism is that his designs rip off Nike. And he’s not having it. He told Complex: “I never read blogs. So, I don’t even hear the criticism about us doing Nike take-offs. I’d like to say that other brands doing Bape knockoffs shows that the brand is recognized and desired … But in reality, it’s really annoying to have to deal with it.” Come on, Nigo, isn’t imitation the best form of flattery?
