NEO 10Y, the artistic identity of Nik Thakkar, represents a transition from a fashion industry figure with established accolades into a multidisciplinary artist working across music, performance, media, and cultural spaces. His career spans early recognition within luxury fashion, award-winning design work, and collaborations with major global brands, followed by a shift into live performance, recorded music, press visibility, and socially engaged creative projects.
Foundations in Fashion and Early Accolades
Nik Thakkar’s career began in the fashion industry, where he gained early recognition after being scouted in Paris by Jean Paul Gaultier. He went on to appear as part of Gaultier’s AW13–14 digital campaign, establishing himself within a major luxury house’s creative output.
He subsequently worked across campaigns and projects with leading fashion brands including Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford, and others associated with the global luxury sector. His involvement included participation in Louis Vuitton’s “Art of Packing” campaign and Tom Ford’s short film “An Ode to Oud,” positioning him within high-end visual and cinematic fashion storytelling.
Alongside this, he co-founded the fashion label Ada + Nik with designer Ada Zanditon. The label presented collections at London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week, operating within the runway circuit as both a creative and design-led project.
In 2015, Ada + Nik received the GenArt Prize at New York Fashion Week, marking an important industry accolade recognising emerging design talent.
Additional recognition during this period included being voted one of Time Out Magazine’s Top 100 Creatives and appearing on OUT magazine’s “most eligible bachelors” lists multiple times, reflecting his visibility within both fashion and cultural media.
Collaborations, Innovation, and Brand Work
Thakkar’s fashion career also included experimental collaborations and cross-disciplinary projects. Notably, he worked with will.i.am on a camera-enabled biker jacket, exploring early intersections between fashion and wearable technology.
His broader brand and creative collaborations extended to global companies such as Coca-Cola, Xbox, Motorola, and Selfridges, where he contributed to creative direction and campaign-related work.
He was also associated with high-profile fashion houses including Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Tom Ford, and Karl Lagerfeld on campaigns and fashion films, reinforcing his position within the luxury fashion ecosystem.
Media Presence and Industry Recognition
Thakkar’s work has been featured in major publications and media outlets, including Vogue, GQ, Forbes, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Style, Style.com, and VICE, which described him as “one of the premier creative minds in London.”
His visibility across both mainstream and niche fashion media contributed to his profile as a culturally embedded figure within creative industries.
Transition into NEO 10Y
The emergence of NEO 10Y marks a shift from industry participation to self-defined artistic authorship. Rather than operating primarily within fashion systems, Thakkar began developing a multidisciplinary identity that integrates music, visual presentation, performance, and conceptual storytelling.
Under the NEO 10Y identity, his work expands beyond fashion into a unified creative practice where identity itself becomes a central theme.
Music, Distribution, and Digital Presence
As NEO 10Y, Thakkar is an independent recording artist distributed through AWAL. His music is supported by a strong digital presence, with releases and visual projects often accompanied by self-produced “hyper reality” music videos.
These videos have gained attention for their stylised, immersive aesthetic and have contributed to his visibility across digital platforms.
His music has also been supported through placements on major streaming playlists across Spotify, Apple Music, and TIDAL, including editorial and algorithmic playlists such as Glitch, Cosmic Playlists, misfits 2.0, TRANSCEND, Discover Weekly, and Your Daily Mix.
Live Performances and Events
Live performance forms a central component of NEO 10Y’s artistic practice. His shows are often described as immersive 360-degree experiences that combine music, fashion, and visual identity into a cohesive presentation.
He has performed at a range of venues and events across London, Europe, and the United States, including:
- Roundhouse in London
- Troxy in London
- Raves and curated live music events
- Secret Garden Party festival
- West Hollywood Pride
- UK Black Pride
- Billboard magazine event in New York City
- Headlining London’s official Royal Diwali
These performances position him within both music and cultural event circuits, rather than a single genre-specific environment.
Press Coverage and Media Features
NEO 10Y has been featured across a wide range of publications and media platforms, including Billboard, Paper, COLORS, Dazed, BBC, Evening Standard, Rolling Stone, them, CLASH, Earmilk, Notion, Noctis, L’Officiel, GQ, Gal Dem, and Interview Magazine.
His work has also been covered in broadcast media, including appearances and features on Sky News, BBC London, BBC World Service, BBC Three, and MTV.
Coverage often focuses on his multidisciplinary identity, the intersection of fashion and music, and his approach to self-expression and performance.
Television and Documentary Appearance
A notable media appearance includes participation in the Channel 4 documentary “Higher Ground,” where he appeared as the first person to take psychedelics on UK national television. This appearance contributed to broader discussions around consciousness, culture, and personal exploration within a televised format.
Activism, Education, and Public Engagement
Alongside his creative work, NEO 10Y is active in advocacy and education. He has delivered guest lectures at institutions such as London College of Fashion, Central Saint Martins, and University of the Arts London.
He is also associated with activism in areas including veganism, environmental awareness, LGBTQ+ intersectionality, yoga, and reiki. His work has intersected with organisations such as PETA, The Vegan Society, Greenpeace, and National Geographic through campaigns and collaborative projects.
Additionally, he has hosted and participated in public events including National Animal Rights Day in London and the launch of the Goodluck Hope riverside development.
Entrepreneurship and Product Development
Expanding beyond music and fashion, Thakkar launched GODDEX, a gender-expansive fragrance concept aligned with his broader artistic philosophy. The project reflects his continued interest in identity, inclusivity, and sensory expression as part of a wider creative ecosystem.
Continuity Across Disciplines
The transition from fashion to NEO 10Y does not represent a break, but rather a reconfiguration of existing strengths into a more autonomous framework. Skills developed in fashion, including visual presentation, branding, collaboration, and conceptual thinking, continue to inform his work across music and performance.
His career demonstrates continuity across multiple disciplines, with fashion serving as both a foundation and an ongoing influence within his artistic output.
Conclusion
NEO 10Y’s trajectory reflects a progression from fashion industry recognition, supported by campaigns, runway shows, collaborations, and awards, into a multidisciplinary artistic identity defined by live performance, recorded music, media presence, and cultural engagement.
With features across major publications, performances at internationally recognised venues and events, playlist support across major streaming platforms, and participation in activism and education, his work operates across intersecting creative fields. The result is a unified artistic practice where fashion, music, identity, and performance converge into a single evolving narrative.