For those who may not be familiar with him, NIGO is best known as the founder of A Bathing Ape, better known as BAPE, which he launched in Tokyo in 1993. The brand went on to become one of the biggest names in Japanese streetwear and played a key role in the crossover between fashion, music, and sneaker culture. NIGO later founded HUMAN MADE and has worked with some of the biggest names in fashion, including Louis Vuitton. He also acted as artistic director of KENZO, so his move into a Gulfstream isn't exactly coming out of nowhere.
The project is based around the Gulfstream G500, a long-range business jet engineered to cover thousands of miles while keeping the cabin comfortable and luxurious for passengers. The matte green and bronze G500 can travel up to 5,300 nautical miles and reach speeds of up to Mach 0.925. Inside, Gulfstream gives the aircraft three living areas, along with a galley and lavatory, while its low cabin altitude and 100-percent fresh-air system are designed to make longer flights easier on passengers.
For the NIGO JET, those fundamentals become the starting point rather than the whole story. NIGO has applied his own aesthetic to both the G500’s exterior and interior, creating a jet that looks noticeably different from any typical business jet on the tarmac. The cabin is set up around those three living areas, giving passengers room to work, relax, or simply spend the flight without feeling like they're stuck in a cramped cabin.
It's an interesting crossover between NIGO's design background and Gulfstream's approach to long-range aviation. Instead of creating something entirely from scratch, the project takes an already popular G500 and turns it into something much more personal to its designer. With the NIGO JET now available to own, it also gives jet setters another unusual way to bring a little of his world along for the next trip.
Source: NIGO Instagram