Where there’s darkness, light shines brighter. Thai fashion label Nabi Club embraces this concept fully. Their brand is angsty and abrasive, replete with off-kilter cuts, rough textures, and sharp-edged designs. Even when they slide into kawaii and sporty styles, they douse them in buckles, chains, and leather. A rock star from some gothic near future would feel right at home with them. But all of these aesthetics are used as a way to bring positivity into people’s lives. By embracing the existence of negativity, they hope to dispel with any judgment and find appreciation in the warmth of even the smallest flames.
Nabi’s most recent collection, The Contemplation of Death, distills these ideas most clearly. The line’s entire point is to explore the universal truth of death as an inevitability. It’s a pretty deep topic for a fashion brand, but they jump into it without pause. The darkness that drips through the designs, prints, makeup, and photography emphasizes the constant presence of the end but serves as a nudge for us to appreciate the here and now. “It’s a poignant reminder to cherish every moment, prompting reflection, preparation, and personal growth,” says label co-founder Varachin Chay.
The Death collection is a collaboration with tattoo artist and designer Andyandthings (who once interned here at Blaq Lyte). Nabi gave her the overarching themes and key messages for the line and she interpreted them in her own way, helping to bring their vision to life, resulting in a total of seven designs for six sets. She also appears as a model in the campaign, dressed in a special design created by Nabi that’s meant to evoke an angel of death. “We began by consulting with Andy to understand her vision and preferences, ensuring she felt confident in the design’s final outcome,” says Kanyapatch Kunanonvorrakun, also a co-founder. “From there, I crafted a new outfit drawing inspiration from the texture of human skin and the intricate patterns found in tree roots.”
The black tones that are always present through Nabi’s releases are just one side of the coin, however. “Black and white hues symbolize the spectrum of life—representing happiness and suffering, peaks and valleys,” adds Chay. For all this emphasis on artistic expression, he’s quick to point out that they’re practical as well. “We aim to offer garments that seamlessly blend into everyday life yet possess a distinctiveness that sets them apart.”
Nabi means “butterfly” in Korean and “beauty” in Japanese, and they see their club as a gathering of nabis who value freedom and the ability to chart their course. “Each butterfly, like each person, possesses unique traits and beauty reflective of their lifestyle and individuality,” says Kunanonvorrakun. “Each person carries their own worth, even if they may diverge from societal norms.”
Their approach to making a positive impact extends beyond philosophy and so far has been a part of their material and model selection process as well. They use deadstock fabrics in most of their pieces to “breathe new life into often neglected materials, creating pieces that hold both economic and emotional value,” says Chay. And when it comes to selecting models, they aim to celebrate people with unique identities that they can vibe with. “We often collaborate with newcomers to the modeling scene, and we’re committed to continuing this in the future,” Kunanonvorrakun adds. “Through our collaborations, we aim to open doors for more people to explore modeling as a career path.”
