Early Breakthrough and Luxury Campaign Work

Nik Thakkar’s entry into the fashion world came through notable early recognition. He was scouted in Paris by Jean Paul Gaultier and went on to become part of Gaultier’s AW13–14 digital campaign. This positioned him not simply as a participant but as a visible face within a major luxury house’s global communication strategy.

From there, he expanded into collaborations with other major brands, including Louis Vuitton and Tom Ford. One of his credited appearances includes Louis Vuitton’s “Art of Packing” campaign, as well as involvement in Tom Ford’s short film “An Ode to Oud.” These projects placed him within the visual and conceptual storytelling side of fashion, where campaigns often blend cinematic production with brand identity.

At this stage, his role aligned with that of a model and campaign figure, working alongside established creative teams while building recognition within the luxury sector.

Ada + Nik: Founding a Fashion Label

A major development in his career was the co-founding of the fashion label Ada + Nik with designer Ada Zanditon. The brand operated within the runway ecosystem, presenting collections at both London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week over multiple seasons.

Ada + Nik became known for its futuristic, dark aesthetic and its engagement with gender-fluid design principles. The label explored silhouettes and concepts that challenged conventional distinctions in menswear and womenswear, aligning with broader shifts in fashion toward non-binary expression.

In 2015, Ada + Nik received the GenArt Prize at New York Fashion Week, marking recognition within an industry platform that highlights emerging design talent. This period represents a transition in Thakkar’s career from participant to creator, as he moved into shaping collections and presenting them on international runways.

Collaboration with Will.i.am and Wearable Technology

Beyond traditional fashion design, Nik Thakkar engaged in experimental collaboration that intersected with technology and innovation. One of the most notable examples is his work with will.i.am, where they developed a camera-enabled biker jacket concept.

This project reflects an early exploration of wearable technology in fashion, combining functional hardware with garment design. It also situates Thakkar within a niche of fashion creatives interested in merging product design with digital functionality, rather than limiting work to aesthetic expression alone.

Brand Consulting and Industry Work

In addition to design and modeling, Thakkar has contributed to brand strategy and creative consultancy for several major companies. His portfolio includes work connected to Coca-Cola, specifically Diet Coke, as well as projects involving Xbox, Motorola, and Selfridges.

This aspect of his career highlights a behind-the-scenes role in shaping campaigns and creative direction. Rather than being solely a front-facing figure, he operated in advisory and conceptual capacities, contributing to how brands communicate visually and culturally.

Fashion Industry Presence and Cultural Visibility

Throughout the mid-2010s, Nik Thakkar maintained a visible presence within the fashion circuit. He was frequently associated with events, shows, and social environments that overlap with major industry gatherings, including fashion weeks and brand activations.

His positioning within this space contributed to his reputation as a recurring figure in high-profile fashion environments. This visibility extended beyond formal roles, placing him within a network of designers, brands, media figures, and creatives who collectively shape contemporary fashion culture.

Expansion into Fragrance and Identity-Driven Projects

Thakkar later expanded his creative output into product development beyond clothing. One example is the launch of GODDEX, a genderless fragrance concept that aligns with his broader interest in identity, spirituality, and self-expression.

This move reflects a continuation of themes present throughout his work, where fashion, personal identity, and conceptual storytelling intersect. Rather than operating strictly within apparel, his projects began to encompass broader lifestyle and sensory experiences.

Positioning Within the Fashion Ecosystem

Across his career, Nik Thakkar’s role has shifted between several interconnected positions:

• Campaign face for luxury brands such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton, and Tom Ford
• Co-founder and designer of the Ada + Nik label
• Collaborator in experimental projects involving figures like will.i.am
• Consultant for global brands including Coca-Cola, Xbox, Motorola, and Selfridges
• Participant in runway presentations at London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week

This combination of roles places him within a hybrid category of fashion professional, where modeling, design, consulting, and cultural participation overlap rather than exist as separate paths.

Conclusion

Nik Thakkar’s fashion background forms the foundation of his broader creative identity as NEO 10Y. Beginning with early recognition in Paris and involvement in major luxury campaigns, he transitioned into co-founding a runway label, collaborating on experimental design projects, and contributing to brand strategy across industries.

His career reflects a consistent presence within high fashion environments, supported by collaborations with established designers, global brands, and creative figures. Over time, this foundation expanded into a multidisciplinary practice that integrates fashion, identity, technology, and cultural expression into a unified creative approach.

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Rice’s Cry to Heaven is a sprawling historical drama set in the vibrant, baroque world of 18th-century Italy, where opera and politics intertwine. The story follows two central figures whose lives become tragically and powerfully bound by art, identity, betrayal, and ambition. Tonio Treschi, a young Venetian nobleman, becomes the victim of a dark familial betrayal when his half-brother orchestrates his castration to secure his inheritance. Cast out from his noble life, Tonio is forced into the world of castrati, male singers who were surgically altered before puberty so their voices would retain a high, powerful soprano range into adulthood. 

Alongside Tonio is Guido Maffeo, a peasant-born boy who was castrated at a very young age to pursue a life on the opera stage. Guido finds fame and acclaim as a soprano, only to lose his voice as he matures, and he becomes a teacher at the Naples conservatory where Tonio is sent. Their complex relationship, shaped by mentorship, rivalry, mutual desire, and shared trauma, is at the heart of the narrative, capturing Rice’s exploration of art, gender, power, and the high cost of beauty and ambition. 

In adapting this rich and often controversial story, Tom Ford is both writing the screenplay and directing, producing through his Fade to Black production company. Ford is known for his meticulous visual style and thematic depth, qualities that fans and critics expect will translate uniquely to this period drama. While there has been no official announcement of a traditional studio budget, Ford is reportedly self-financing the film, opting to retain creative control and bring it to market once production wraps. This independent financing approach follows his preference for artistic autonomy, and it comes after his successful career in fashion, including the sale of his eponymous brand for billions of dollars, giving him the means to back the project without a major studio partner. 

The ensemble cast is headlined by some of today’s most respected actors. Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ciarán Hinds, George MacKay, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Paul Bettany, Hunter Schafer, Thandiwe Newton, and Daryl McCormack are among those attached. In a high-profile casting coup, Grammy-winning singer Adele is set to make her feature film acting debut in Cry to Heaven, though her specific role remains under wraps. Alongside her is up-and-coming actor Owen Cooper and a roster of other talented performers including Daniel Quinn-Toye, Josephine Thiesen, Théodore Pellerin, Cassian Bilton, Hauk Hannemann, and Lux Pascal. 

Although production costs have not been publicly disclosed, industry observers note that period dramas with large ensemble casts, detailed set design, and extensive location shooting typically involve significant investment. Filming on location in Italy, with plans to use historic sites that reflect the novel’s Venetian and Neapolitan settings, suggests a commitment to authenticity and visual richness that could rival major studio historical epics. The opera world, with its ornate costumes and dramatic musical sequences, also promises to be a centerpiece of the film’s aesthetic, potentially elevating both its visual and auditory impact. 

The Cry to Heaven adaptation is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious films of Ford’s career, blending his fashion sensibility with the emotional depth and grand scale of Rice’s storytelling. The novel’s exploration of identity, sacrifice, sensuality, and artistic passion aligns well with the director’s strengths, and many are watching closely to see how he navigates the challenging material. With filming underway in Italy and the UK, the stage is set for Ford’s latest cinematic statement, expected to debut in late 2026. 

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If you didn’t know already, Tom Ford has a Men’s Grooming Private Suite downstairs in the Covent Garden store and you can experience a range of services from a Beard Trim to a Luxury Facial – all at fairly reasonable prices, considering it is Tom Ford! You can head to www.tomfordbeauty.co.uk for bookings.

The series was shot all over the space, providing a futuristic backdrop for the images – of course. We also brought my Flying V guitar down, which fitted in seamlessly with the shiny black surfaces in the Tom Ford space.

Here’s a full transcript of the interview:

NEO 10Y talks music, cannabis and being gender non-binary

The fashion-designer-turned musician has rediscovered his voice 

Musician, visual artist, fashion designer, yogi and cannabis advocate are just a few of the ways Nik Thakkar describes himself, but he’d probably rather you call him by his stage name: NEO 10Y.

Thakkar’s cerebral approach to his science-inspired moniker sets the tone for the artist’s musical repertoire, which he explains is full of “self realisation” and a mission to understand “the bigger picture of our existence” – all accompanied by high concept visuals and Thakkar’s dreamlike vocals.

The past few years appear to have been full of self-discovery for Thakkar, who after nearly a decade has returned to music. With an aesthetic honed by his previous life as a fashion designer for Ada + Nik, his non-binary identity and his conscious approach to politics, life and everything in between, Thakkar’s work challenges the norm with explicit lyrics and controversial visual imagery – some of which has resulted in death threats.

With fans like Tom Ford and more falling under NEO 10Y’s spell, we spoke to Thakkar about what it means to be non-binary, Internet trolls and worshipping the “divine female.”

Your stage name NEO 10Y is inspired by a phrase in biological science, can you explain why you chose it?

“When I started making songs as NEO 10Y, I was inspired by a vigilante super hero version of myself and because I had done a lot of work under my birth name, I felt like I wanted an evolution. I found the word neoteny in biology which means the retention of childhood characteristics in adulthood, which when you translate it to a spiritual sense, it’s the idea of leading with your heart open and the lack of judgement and systemic oppression you have when you are a kid. 

It’s also really cool that it has N.T. within it, and is digitized to the number 10 which, if you think about the universe in 1s and 0s, represents the a sense of completeness in binary code.” 

You gave up on music for nearly a decade, what led you to go back?

“I actually lost out on a music scholarship at school, and it definitely left me stunted. Also at that time there was never a place for an artist like me. I’m really grateful of the digital evolution of music and the democratisation of creative license in the space, because that’s how I can still be in charge off my own voice, aesthetic, vision and message. 

When I learnt piano as a kid, I was taught to essentially do piano recitals, but it felt too robotic to me and I didn’t identify with that part of the process. I went on to teach myself the guitar, which I played open mic nights on and off for a while but it wasn’t until three years ago that I felt I was in a place where I had a voice and valid message to share real songs with.”

Your concept film The Kid That Killed Trump drew a lot of ire when it dropped and resulted in death threats. Did you know when you were creating it that it would court controversy?

“I knew what I was doing… to an extent. I did it anonymously because I was legitimately scared of potential political repercussions because no one had expressed this visually yet – and it was before he was even president. Kathy Griffin and Snoop Dogg and countless others came afterwards, which only proves group consciousness and the public sentiment.

The death threats are just social media having a field day and you have to kind of laugh it off. Internet trolls are part and parcel of this entertainment reality… the anti vegan comments I get are worse half the time!”

There’s been a lot of discussion about what it means to be non-binary, especially following Sam Smith’s announcement earlier this year. As a non-binary individual yourself, are there any common misconceptions you’ve come across? 

“For me, non binary is a very spiritual and innate sense of understanding that we are all comprised of male and female energies. For me personally, I worship the divine female as much as I possibly can in the physical world that we live in, but I am not trans as I do not have gender dysphoria. 

Even though I am in a male body, my spirit does not subscribe to gender norms and I think that if everyone acknowledged their non binary nature, we would generate a lot more peace and equality in the world. 

A common misconception about non binary individuals is that some type of wardrobe or physical world change is required.  It is simply a spiritual state of understanding the fluidity of gender within yourself.

We will not see a reduction in toxic masculinity if cis het males think that being non binary and accepting their female energy means that they need to change their physical appearance. Gen Z are all woke, queer, non binary, pansexuals in the making, so there’s hope yet!”

Beyond music, you’ve worked in the fashion industry for brands including Louis Vuitton and Jean Paul Gautier and had your own fashion brand Ada + Nik – does fashion still play a big role in your creative life?

“Personal style definitely does! I love expression through uniqueness and iconography, and if anything, designing my own wardrobe with Ada + Nik for four years definitely helped elevate that for me. I am so grateful to have such amazing creative friends around me. Ada is slaying with Ada Zanditon Couture, she dressed Ariana [Grande] for the God Is A Woman video and we still collaborate on shoots.

Personally, I am at a stage where I am really happy creating ethereal constructs through songs, visuals and live shows. I think a lot about our impact on the planet and so I’m not currently putting anything physical out there at this stage, but who knows. I still work with brands that I respect. I love Tom Ford [the accompanying shoot was groomed by Tom Ford Beauty at their concept store in Covent Garden] and he’s vegan now too, which really sets the bar for the future of the industry, a really exciting time.”

What’s next?

“I am in the studio at the moment working on some new tracks for later this year. I just filmed a mini documentary with BBC Ideas, and I am doing more consciousness work – ‘vodcasts’, talks and guest lectures. I am also working with the healing power of plants, particularly cannabis, which is finally becoming more available in the UK.”

So weed and music for the rest of 2019 – iconic!’ 

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It’s always telling as to how many people ask me in a day what fragrance I am wearing and this is without a doubt commanding enough to have everyone wanting to know the deal! African Rosemary and floral green Geranium with a mint inflection generate further international sensory appeal and the warmth of Oakmoss and the electric green of Basil set it apart from its peers.

Beau de Jour is offered in the classic brown Private Blend bottle in three sizes: 50ml, 100ml and 250ml decanter from March.

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It is definitely a strong mood – hypnotising – which I love, obviously and features earthy greens, herbs, lavender and citrus which combined set a darker tone than you might imagine but perfect for the Autumn.

The translation from the French is literally “silver fern”, which truly does embody the essence of the fragrance. Very excited to wear it over London Fashion Week!

The photo above was captured by my brother Oz Thakkar whilst I was away, and the photo below was shot in LA at Runyon which captures the provocative, sliver nature and wild essence of the fragrance.

In the words of the man himself, “The classically fresh DNA of fougère is reinvented, converging impeccable decorum with the modus operandi of an agent provocateur. With Fougère d’Argent, I wanted to reinvent the fougère genre in my own way, something that respects the history and DNA of the category yet takes it into a new territory all its own.” – TOM FORD.

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From a fragrance perspective, my friends at Tom Ford just released Vanille Fatale – now the first ever Tom Ford private blend that I bought eons ago – before I even started collaborating with the brand – was actually Tobacco Vanille, so this release at the top of 2018 really feels like a throwback on a personal level, in the most authentic way. The name itself also really randomly reminds me of Britney Spears – in line with her penchant for vanilla scented candles and her album Femme Fatale – I couldn’t think of a more perfect artist to front a video for this scent! Marketed as a “rush of blood to the head”, I can confirm that it definitely feels like this. With an overarching movement towards sweeter scents in the last 18 months, Vanille Fatale feels revitalising and profound with the Madagascan vanilla blending with the rich mahogany in all its smokey glamour.

On further fragrance note, and in a pretty smart way to deliver some variation to your sensory palate each month – and for anyone who is a fan of subtle layering, The Fragrance Shop has launched Scentaddict which is a monthly subscription box, where each month, you get to choose the latest designer fragrance from a curated list of over 200 including Issey Miyake, Ralph Lauren, Moschino (2018 show pictured in header), Tom Ford and more which are then carefully prepared into an atomiser bottle and sent to you to add some variation to you fragrance experience. The atomiser itself is super portable and and deigned in pearlescent white. You can visit www.scentaddict.com for more information.

Finally, I wanted to briefly introduce a new company I recently discovered called The Soap Co. – it’s an ethical luxury brand that creates sophisticated body care products to nurture and care for your skin – all our products are uniquely handcrafted in the UK by people who are blind, disabled or otherwise disadvantaged. Stay tuned with more to come from The Soap Co.

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From a skincare perspective, an exciting new skincare brand is about to land on the market – meet SCRUBD – a set of all-natural grooming products specifically for the demands of men’s skin featuring a more rare experimentative approach to ingredients with, for example, their charcoal and black pepper triple-milled soap block and anti-ageing products that include marine collagen. For now it will be available at Harvey Nichols exclusively and launching online at SCRUBD.com – definitely worth checking out as a progressive alternative made with organic and natural products.

On a fragrance note, the 6th October saw the launch of Oud Wood Intense from Tom Ford, I know lots of you know of my undying affection for Tom Ford and Oud scents overall, so you can imagine how over the moon I was to be using this scent on all my recent trips – truly a dream. The crispness from the Intense range delivers something quite exquisite and unexpected – as you would think that it might verge on overwhelming, it doesn’t! It certainly stays on longer, and the added details for Intense which are created from angelica wood and cypress give it a depth beyond the original.

Another gem from Tom Ford that launched recently is the Shave Cream – which has to be the creamiest, most irritation-free shave experience I have ever had. I am shooting a NEO 10Y video on Sunday and using this again for the pre-grooming, so stay tuned!

Moving back to facial skincare, if you read my piece on Discovering The Power of EndoSPHERES, I mentioned the work of sculptor and genius Pietro Simone, and also wanted to spotlight his own skincare range which I have been using the innovative eye cream and face scrub. Pietro Simone is a very progressive specialist in this field and prides his work on architecture and in de-stigmatizing the beauty of aging; “we believe in aging gracefully, ensuring you can be your best version of you in each phase of your life”.

I want to focus on the Pietro Simone enigmatic eye cream as a non-invasive alternative anti-ager – targeted treatment of concentrated actives that firm, restore and fight visible signs of aging. According to Pietro, “Darutoside is a special, one of a kind active that treats the global contour of the eye by lifting folds, reducing crow’s feet and strengthening the dermal eye structure. Avocado oil is a natural skin food that stimulates fibre blast action on skin to maintain collagen levels. Blueberry extract strengthens and protects capillaries and reduces the puffiness on the delicate eye area. Marine Fennel helps to fade dark circles gently and diminishes puffiness”. I’ve been using it for the last few weeks and have been really impressed with its effect, so much so that I have been using a tiny amount on my forehead too.

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So, the question everyone is asking is if the hype is worth the olfactory experience… so I went to TF HQ in London to experience it today and shoot the provocative bottle with Phellipe Souza in situ before the SS18 runway presentation during New York Fashion Week on Wednesday.

So for the scent itself, Fucking Fabulous had to behold and left field direction to fit with the quite poignant name, it does this by marking a foray of private blends into a sweeter arena. This is brought to life by the blend of almond bitter oil and tonic resinoid with orris accord and cashmeran, leather accord and clary sage oil bringing the earthier classic Tom Ford elements.

The sweeter direction is definitely a trend right now with Kilian leading the charge in that space. For me its something for parties and the sensibility of juxtaposition with the playfulness of the more campaign or image-based provocation from Tom Ford brought to life through scent.

The limited edition fragrance is debuting at Mr Ford’s SS18 runway show in New York on September 6th, and will be exclusively available the next day on Thursday 7th September in the TomFord boutique, Sloane St.

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So, this is an evolution from the original Noir and then Noir Extreme, but in a similar scale to Oud Minerale, it has taken a more subversive journey to reach its destination.

Noir Anthracite “reflects the light in the dark” which comes through in the design of the bottle which holds a magnetic can metal reflective surface. The scent itself features a deep bergamot with spice against a rich black cedar wood, Macassar and santal Sri Lanka – which really elevates the heritage of the brand against a Middle Earth backdrop.

Overall it is equally enticing as its predecessors but with a nuanced subtlety that says modesty for a transient social climate. It’s really well thought out. Thank you, Tom Ford.

Here is a mini-editorial to showcase the fragrance that I shot with Phellipe Souza featuring Noir Anthracite. Hands and script by me, knit by Ada + Nik.

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July also saw the release of a duo scent from Emporia Armani – Because Of You and Stronger With You. I mean, duality as a theme is pretty timeless and current (what’s up NEO 10Y), so it’s not surprising that I was really into this as a concept and experience. Don’t let the super heteronormative narrative fool you, both scents work for both sexes and mixing the two also creates a really unique blend especially with the top notes of cardamom, pink pepper, violet leaves with a base of vanilla and musk.

Last but never least, Tom Ford just unveiled Mandarino Di Amalfi Acqua private blend, with the mandarin and blackcurrant top notes, combined with musk and amber base notes, it truly creates a vision of the serene Amalfi cliffside at night, with their citrus fruits with an almost nocturnal floral element.

Header image created with Diangular.

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