3 Minute Thread: Niki Colet
"My friend Emilie lent me her mirror to take photos for this series! She is literally standing behind the mirror in all these selfies."
I met Niki at
’s drinks in London a few weeks ago. I was immediately drawn to her bag, a replica of a Chinese takeout box hanging from her wrist. We got chatting and ended up sharing a taxi home, where she told me all about her music career. I’ve had her Yeah Yeah Yeahs remix on loop ever since. She’s also a thrifting queen, just like me! Read on for some great London recommendations.
Who are you?
My name is Niki Colet, and I’m a musician, writer, poet, and artist based in London, originally from Manila. I moved to London in 2022 to pursue a masters in Culture, Criticism and Curation. I recently came out with a song called “wait (maps)” — it’s an emotional house remix/cover of “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs that I did in collaboration with Arthur Tan, a Manila and New York based DJ and producer.
This comes out the day after a release for me as well — the music video for a song called “Strange Dreams” - it was the first single I released in London after a five-year break from releasing any work, and marked a new chapter in my own relationship with music and with my creative practice in general.
What are you wearing?
I’m wearing a top from a Filipino line called Araw, which I bought at Tropa, one of my favorite shops back in Manila. The flared yoga bottoms are from a brand called “Sunzel” — I got them because my friend Tara was wearing them. The scarf tied over the yoga pants was a Christmas present from an aunt, I think H&M, brown vintage leather jacket is Brass Plum (Nordstrom) — I wanna say 80s? — from a leather and denim charity/secondhand shop along Kingsland Road, right by the Haggerston.
Pointy white kitten heel slingbacks are from Mango, green socks from Uniqlo, and the tiny bag I bought at the Princess May car boot in Dalston from a girl who said she got it at a vintage shop in Paris! The silver hoop/spiral earrings were from a booth at a music festival in South London. My ring collection is mostly from an antique booth at the Nag’s Head Market in Seven Sisters, though the thin band with a green stone is from a random shop on Portobello Road, and the celtic knot ring is from a tourist shop in Edinburgh. Fun fact — apparently that particular celtic knot design is called a Triquetra, and reflects a concept in Celtic mythology: the existence of three material domains (earth, sea, sky), three spiritual worlds (earth, heaven, underworld), and “triple goddesses”!
The bracelets on my other arm are heirlooms — the chain was my late maternal grandmother’s, and the charm bracelet was my mom’s when she was eighteen (she chose all the charms! It used to have a tiny working abacus but that fell off, and I squashed the barrel charm in a bike accident).
Why did you choose this outfit?
One style lesson that has stayed with me recently is something I read on another 3 Minute Thread, with Laura Allard-Fleischl — she said, “Make sure you have at least one tried and true outfit that you know you like for the times when you have to be somewhere and are having a meltdown because everything you try on looks horrendous.” And honestly, this outfit is that for me. I just came from a two-week holiday where I ate a lot, I haven’t exercised in over a month, and I am also currently in my ✨luteal phase✨ so I am not at my baseline sexiest physically or mentally, but I do feel pretty good with this outfit on.
Where did you wear it/Where are you planning to wear it?
True to its purpose as my Favourite Anti-Meltdown Outfit. I have worn this outfit many times: to the pub, to the cinema, on a date, at art galleries, to parties… but today I wore it to go have ice cream with a friend in the park.
Because I don’t have a proper full-length mirror she lent me her mirror and propped it up in her garden for me to take photos! She is literally standing behind the mirror in all these mirror selfies. A true girl’s girl. Shout out to Emilie.
What’s the best style lesson you’ve learned over the years?
Style is not something you can buy off a rail. So much of it comes with learning to value what you think is interesting, special, or striking — not just what someone else is drawn to. I feel a bit awkward dispensing this piece of advice because it’s not like I am some kind of authority on style at all, and sometimes my outfits are complete flops, but style is something I’ve always loved and enjoyed regardless!
One person you think has great style?
My friend Nikita. She lives in Sweden and has the coolest personal style. Her love language is “making Powerpoint presentations for people” and she has made me a few incredible ones for either doing a style rebrand before a wardrobe makeover, or styling a weird item of clothing (like a pinstriped blazer with a cinched waist and shoulder pads, which gave me an identity crisis).
Best life hack?
Call someone while doing your most-hated chore (for me, it’s hanging laundry). Friend, family member, crush, lover, next-door neighbor, former coworker, jovial acquaintance, whatever. It makes it easier to start, time goes faster, and you also get to have a little quality time catching up with a person whose company you enjoy, which is always really nice.
Your favorite person to follow?
My friend Jesuuna on Instagram. She’s a fantastic artist based in New York, and she has the most impeccable taste in everything: style, music, art, food, films, places! Her website has a “living room” that’s a lot of fun, and she also occasionally posts playlists dedicated to really specific moods and feelings. I eat up everything she does.
One recommendation to read/watch/listen to?
Allow yourself to be bored sometimes. Spend a day without listening to music while you’re in transit, or going on social media (or on a dating app) during your dead time — I’m so bad at this, but I am always so glad to have done it whenever I’m able to. Being bored is a luxury, and so often when I allow myself to be bored, I’m finally able to hear what I’m actually thinking and feeling.
Follow Niki on Instagram and listen to her music here.
If you’ve read this far, show some love by clicking the the heart button below!
Have you listened to the Threads of Conversation podcast? You can find it here, or on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Subscribe below for more Threads of Conversation, and follow on Instagram and TikTok.