Felix Nai

Poet of indigo dyeing

• Felix has been trained by Kenta Watanabe, a disciple of Osamu Nii
• Nature is his most important source of inspiration
• He names each vat of indigo dye that he makes

With a background in apparel design, Felix Nai became fascinated in natural indigo dyeing in 2014. He attended his first dye workshop and from there started making trips to Japan to find out first hand about the craft and its career opportunity. He ended up being trained by Kenta Watanabe of the brand "Watanabe's", who is the disciple of Osamu Nii in Tokushima, Japan. Felix’s aim is to spread the word about this craft and the relationship of indigo dyeing to nature, the importance of the environment and sustainability. Now, he regularly hosts workshops to share his vision and teach about the concept behind the making of the colour indigo and how it can be introduced into our daily lives as a more sustainable way of living.

Interview

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Do you remember when you first thought of taking up this craft?

It was during the wee hours of a particular night I spent in the open fields of Germany. I looked up at the night sky and was mesmerised. Everything I have done since stems from the wish to recreate the night sky I saw on that very day.

Why did you choose this craft in particular?

I liked the idea of trying to preserve an old craft which was close to my heart. As mankind advances, I hope that these skills and the knowledge will still be available to future generations if they wish to revisit these traditional methods.

What do you love most about your profession?

The seemingly endless life lessons that the craft teaches me. For instance, I am working towards farming indigo plants in Singapore, extracting from them, and using local by-products as ingredients to create a shade of indigo we can truly call ours.

Can you tell us a memorable moment in your professional life?

The moment I realised that we should work with nature instead of trying to bend nature to match up with our pace. I am very proud to say that I have similar goals as the other craftsmen who respect the gifts from nature: we are all interconnected.

Felix Nai is a rising star: he began his career in 2018

Works

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Where