A highlands born & bred boy, Noki landed in Shoreditch in the mid-nineties. His debut as a stylist for MTV and Blah Blah Blah magazine was to be the backdrop for his critical mind and planted the seed of political activism that has defined his career so far. Noki, an anagram for ‘Ikon’-ic fashion brands, subverts the fashion mainstream by using second hand branded clothing and transforming them into political works of art. The man himself is recognizable by always appearing with an SOB ‘Suffocation of Branding’ mask, hinting at his anti-capitalist, anti-institutionalised stance.
His London outlet,’ 123 Store’, situated on Bethnal Green Road, Brick Lane, is his creative hub, where old school Nike trackies become statement street couture. Noki’s’NHS ward’ is where it all happens, a space dedicated to creating one-off pieces, and then further customized using the ‘After-Care-Service’. The idea behind this is that the garment can be indefinitely altered and regenerated, transforming it into a different piece of wearable political art with every visit. +++
