By midmorning, Human Made Inc.’s Harajuku flagship is humming with a quiet churn of tourists speaking Mandarin, English and Korean over an upbeat ‘80s pop soundtrack. Inside, white walls and exposed pipes frame racks of duck-print sweatshirts above storage crates stamped with Human Made’s retro graphics. Staff in sweatshirts and Converse sneakers keep the flow brisk, keeping with the rhythm of a brand whose shares are about to start trading after a blockbuster Tokyo debut.

The man behind it all once said he “couldn’t do business.” Now, Tomoaki “Nigo” Nagao, who made camouflage hoodies a global status symbol, is at the helm of a streetwear IPO so hot it’s 60 times oversubscribed, according to people familiar with the deal, and a valuation that places him in fashion’s new moneyed elite.

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