The world has always been a messy place, and during times of war, climate crisis, and rising authoritarianism it’s perfectly normal to stumble under the weight of all these challenges. Vietnamese brand LATUI ATELIER embraces such struggles, allowing space for personal faults in the face of adversity, but tempering them with an optimism expressed through creativity and collaboration. Their new campaign, called Taste Of Mercy, resembles an end-of-the-world party with chaotic piles of bodies swarming inside a derelict warehouse. People, beer cans, and trash lay strewn motionless across dirty floors, while lost souls fling drinks, set fires, and have sex. There’s even a scene depicting an inverted “Last Supper” that looks particularly unholy.
“We’re striving to create a temple of acceptance and forgiveness, where everyone can feel comfortable being themselves,” says Xi Quan Le, the brand’s founder and creative director whose official job title is Sinner Of LATUI and who uses a photo of Marla Singer, the particularly disturbed character from Fight Club, as her profile pic. “We encourage people to go against the norm. We celebrate diversity and do not believe in labeling things as right or wrong. We embrace everything.”
The campaign, which was shot by Nguyen Anh Hao and is LATUI’s largest project to date, is part of the release of their newest collection, called THEHYSTERIAWPORTRAIT. (It’s available at Blaq Lyte Shophouse, so pull up on us!) The line revolves around oversized, distressed jeans and slim, light tops full of crumpled prints and paint splatters. “It’s a process of reconstruction alongside destruction, turning memories of broken souls into a new vibe,” explains Xi. “There’s no such thing as perfection, which is why we celebrate imperfections in our designs; so we can feel safe and vulnerable, allowing for the expression of both positive and negative emotions.”
The collection is produced in limited numbers with a focus on quality over quantity. Although they’re assembled in a factory, the LATUI team adds all of the details themselves in their studio. “We meticulously handcraft every detail of our denim products, ensuring a unique and distinctive result,” explains Xi. “Each piece varies slightly, embodying the idea of imperfect romance that we strive for.” And they seek out the best materials that they can find for comfort and longevity. “We view clothes as a second layer of skin. They need to be cherished and have the gentlest contact with the body.”
