NIGO and Jun Takahashi’s Last Orgy 2 Column Explained

With the news that NIGO and Nike are hopping in a DeLeoran to bring the Air Force 1 Low’s 2001 shape to the modern day came a bit of confusion among some sneakerheads. No, not about the Air Force 1 itself, everyone and their grandma knows about the AF1 and its importance to sneaker history. It’s the inspiration behind the colorway and its name. Last Orgy 2 may sound like a flick that Dirk Diggler would star in, but trust us, Nike wouldn’t be promoting the adult entertainment industry in connection with a big sneaker release. The name actually comes from a magazine column that NIGO and Undercover founder Jun Takahashi wrote together in the ‘90s.

Origins of the Last Orgy Column

But before we get into NIGO and Jun’s contributions to the Japanese streetwear scene through Last Orgy 2, it’s best to start with the origin of the Last Orgy column. In 1987, Hiroshi Fujiwara – yes, the mind behind fragment design – began writing a column in the magazine Takarajima. Fujiwara would discuss his experiences abroad, and more specifically, the culture he was experiencing in New York and London that tied in with hip-hop and punk.

At this point, you’re still probably wondering why Hiroshi would choose a name like Last Orgy for a streetwear column. Well, the inspiration for the name comes from a song that Hiroshi Fujiwara’s group Tiny Panx released. Fast forward, and the Last Orgy column became so popular that Hiroshi would star in a Japanese TV show on FM_TV under the same name, documenting the Harajuku district, which, to this day, is still a hub for burgeoning fashion brands and established labels.

Debut of the Last Orgy 2 Column

NIGO idolized Hiroshi and was obsessed with the column and TV program, recording every single episode of Last Orgy and turning this passion into a career. Eventually, NIGO would tap Jun Takahashi to write the Last Orgy 2 column in the magazine POPEYE, and over 23 different issues, they established themselves as authorities in the streetwear scene. Then in 1993, the two opened the store NOWHERE, a now-defunct fashion boutique that stocked both Undercover (founded by Jun) and BAPE (founded by NIGO) products as well as other streetwear classics.

In each issue of the Last Orgy 2 column, NIGO and Jun would discuss the latest news in the underground scene and document the latest items from brands of the time. Thankfully, the website archivepdf.net has scans of original issues from the column, both in Japanese and English, giving us a glimpse into what the early days of streetwear news looked like.

Impact and Legacy of Last Orgy

These pioneers of the streetwear scene had their big break thanks to the success of Last Orgy, Last Orgy 2, and even the Last Orgy 3 column, which featured Hiroshi, NIGO, and Jun covering news in the space.

You (hopefully) know the rest of the story. Hiroshi’s fragment became a key collaborator with Nike and continues to be a force in the space. NIGO would leave BAPE in 2013 after founding Human Made in 2010, join Nike in 2023, drop multiple Air Force 3s. Today, NIGO announced he’s working on this throwback rendition of the Air Force 1 featuring the beloved 2001 cut.

Jun’s Undercover label would become a staple of Paris Fashion Week and the brand worked on the Gyakusou running line at Nike alongside a series of collabs with The Swoosh, including Air Force 1s.

It’s clear that Nike is looking back to this era not only for its style influence, but for the minds that pioneered the streetwear scene. Nike just dropped a big capsule of fragment design sneakers, is launching more NIGO gear with the Air Force 1 Low ‘01, and in a recent post on Nike’s newsroom, the brand teased the return of the Gyakusou line for Holiday 2026. There’s bound to be more from the trio in the coming months, so keep it locked to the Sole Retriever mobile app for updates on the latest happenings in the sneaker world.

Nicholas Vlahos

Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts, catching the latest movies, and trying new food. For tips, reviews, or any shoes in a size 13, email nick@soleretriever.com