Thug Club SS26 Explores “K-Dark Nostalgia”

Summary

• Thug Club’s SS26 “K-Dark Nostalgia” is inspired by director Kwon Jiyool’s early passion for 2000s menswear
• The lineup includes reimagined trench coats with biker-influenced detailing as well as other updated staple silhouettes

Thug Club has officially unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, titled “K-Dark Nostalgia.” Marking director Kwon Jiyool’s first solo season, the collection draws deeply from his formative years — a time when menswear stirred genuine excitement and personal exploration. As a student, Kwon pored over style forums and fashion archives instead of textbooks and video games, forming a connection with early 2000s European and Japanese menswear that remains a lasting source of inspiration. “K-Dark Nostalgia” pays homage to that era and to the creatives who shaped it — many of whom Kwon still reveres today.

Consistent with Thug Club’s rebellious, grungy DNA, the SS26 lineup pushes further with distressed denim, weathered leather and an elevated sense of edge. The brand’s signature trench coat returns in new materials and colorways, reinforced with biker-inspired shoulder pads and hardware-heavy detailing. Black sweatpants and hoodies also make a comeback, this time punctuated with scarlet cutout motifs running down the sides and sleeves — a nod to early 2000s rawness, reinterpreted through Kwon’s deeply personal lens.

This collection serves as an intimate and honest narrative: a tribute to a time when fashion felt elusive, raw and endlessly aspirational. In an age before algorithm-fed trends, discovering style required patience and curiosity. For Kwon, those after-school hours spent scouring the internet for rare pieces were the beginning of his “real world.” That emotional connection fuels this season’s collection, which celebrates subculture and underground aesthetics with a post-hardcore twist. Preview Thug Club’s SS26 collection in the gallery above.