Korean-based @thug_club have teamed up with @adidasoriginals for their second collaboration.
A fusion of sport and street aesthetics, Thug Club brings a disruptive playground energy to this collection. Ahead of the release, we caught up with Creative Director & Founder Jiyool Kwon, @kwonjiyool , and Global Marketing Director Terry Cho, @t_cho , on the rules of Thug Club and the ethos of the brand.
#BasementApproved
Thug Club SS26
K-Dark Nostalgia
This season is inspired by something I loved as a kid and still long for deeply—menswear itself, back when it was pure dopamine.
During my school years—from elementary through university—I wasn’t into studying or gaming like most kids. Instead, I spent countless nights immersed in menswear, exploring it with the same excitement others might feel for a game.
This collection draws from early 2000s menswear archives, shaped by my personal memories and emotional connection to that era. I was especially drawn to European and Japanese fashion back then—many of those designers are still some of my favorites today. Watching Paris runway shows online felt overwhelmingly intense in the best way—like I was glimpsing another world.
Today, fashion trends move in real-time across the globe, with the internet always at our fingertips. Styles feel more unified now, shaped by shared access and constant updates. But back then, I had to wait until school was over, go home, turn on my computer, and actively search to tap into the fashion world. That gap—between desire and access—might have allowed for more personal and diverse expressions of style.
For me, powering up the computer after school was when my real world began. I’d spend night after night searching for the most incredible pieces from around the world, driven purely by curiosity and love for the craft.
This season marks my first solo collection. Before anything else, I’ve always been a fan of menswear. I wanted to tell a story that feels intimate and honest—a nostalgic tribute to a time when fashion felt raw, distant, and endlessly inspiring.
