Meet Nur Abbas, the Mind Behind gnuhr

Written by Ali George Hinkins

Nur Abbas and his independent design project, 𝚐𝚗𝚞𝚑𝚛, are currently leading the way for minimal, functional clothing. With a wealth of experience under his belt, from luxury fashion to houses like Louis Vuitton to Nike’s outdoor-inspired ACG line, Nur is channelling his wisdom and knowledge to start a label that he can genuinely stand beside. 

Launched in 2023, gnuhr takes a unique approach to a largely outdated field, applying an ‘ultralight’ mentality to backpacking and everyday life by emphasising purpose-based systems. Lightweight fabric technologies such as Dyneema and Polartec are favoured over competitors for their ability to keep weight to a minimum without compromising strength or heat retention. In an age where brands and designers are doing more than they need to or should do, gnuhr is forging its path and doing what it feels is right. 

Without recognising the name, you’re bound to have seen gnuhr’s technical garments on Instagram. The Shag Sweater and Hoodie are instantly recognisable by their distinct design codes: the simple and unassuming look, Polartec Alpha Direct construction and thumb holes. These ultra-lightweight tops can be worn independently during activity or as a complete layering system to retain heat while the body breaths naturally. This stripped-back thinking removes unnecessary noise from the garments and allows performance to come first. 

I contacted Nur to learn more about his background as a designer, the current and future direction of gnuhr and the balance between affordability and functionality. 

Can you tell us more about your background as a designer? How did you start in the industry and progress to this position?

Right at the beginning, I took a reasonably linear path, leading to quite a few twists and turns I would never have predicted. I studied fashion and interned at Griffin Studio in my first year there, which would have been around 2000. That turned into freelance work for them while I was still studying. As soon as I graduated, I went to Paris and ended up with a job designing menswear at Maison Martin Margiela. That was when you could just knock on designers' doors carrying a heavy portfolio of hand-drawn illustrations.

From there, I went to Gucci and then to Louis Vuitton, where I stayed for a whole decade. During the last half of that time, I worked with Kim Jones while he was there, and that's how I initially connected with Nike, as I worked on the first Nike x Kim Jones collaboration. A couple of years after that, I went to work for Nike while somehow helping Christophe Lemaire set up Uniqlo U along the way, another project that's very close to my heart!

I started working for Nike in Paris and eventually moved to Portland. From there, I worked on many collaborations and special projects and was focused on ACG by the time I left. My last "job" was leading apparel at Yeezy, which was brief and intense. When that imploded following the unexpected appearance of a certain T-shirt, I had a chance to start my own studio in Portland, take on projects like Goldwin 0, and consider my own brand, gnuhr.

What inspired you to start Gnuhr? Did you notice a void in the market or fancy starting your own personal project that you could call 'yours'? 

Following the experience at Nike and Yeezy and being based in the Pacific Northwest, it culminated in things that led me to set up the studio and start gnuhr. I was already getting into ultralight backpacking when I was in Europe. When I moved to Oregon, I was able to really indulge that interest, which coincided nicely with taking the reins with ACG. Especially during the pandemic, when I was grounded in Oregon, I got to experience some incredible wilderness while making my backpacks to take out on the trail. 

The experience at Yeezy showed me the potential for manufacturing in the USA, and Ye really pushed everyone to work to their full potential. It wasn't an ideal work environment, but it did make me realise how much I could achieve without the corporate structure I was used to at places like Vuitton and Nike.

Starting gnuhr was a fairly natural progression of ideas I've been exploring for years, combined with some new local manufacturing contacts and using backpacking as a framework to develop a manageable system of items of apparel and packs.

Do you believe form and function can coexist in a garment, or are they mutually exclusive? 

The coexistence of form and function is always the case in clothing, albeit there's a wide spectrum. All garments have a purpose in the "function" of covering the body, even if it's an impractical "fashion" item, which makes all clothes roughly human-shaped, which defines the form on a fundamental level. Beyond that, it comes down to purpose, which could be something abstract, like expressing an idea in a fashion show, or something very practical, like thermoregulation in a cold climate while hiking. Different purposes will define the look of the garments, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will look different. That's the long way of saying that form and function are linked!

Can you guide us through Gnuhr's core offering? What is it, and why did it take this form?

The plan with gnuhr is to build out a layering system that you could take backpacking, which is simple and versatile enough to allow for the ultralight mindset to be applied to life.

Right now, it's in such early stages that we've only checked off a couple of the boxes in the layering system. The Creeper Crew is our current "baselayer," which is the foundation of the system. Even though it may not seem as exciting as outerwear, it's an essential piece for pretty much any activity and an item that easily translates to daily life. Therefore, we're very careful about the fabric choice to perform well and cut more like a classic long-sleeved T-shirt.

Moving up a layer, we have our Shag Sweater, T and Hoodie. These use Polartec Alpha fabric, which is light, warm, and breathable. It is so breathable that you're less likely to overheat if you use it while you're active, but it traps body heat as soon as you layer a shell on top of it.

You use category-leading materials like Dyneema and Polartec, both heralded in their own right, to construct accessories and tops. How do you strike a balance between functionality and accessibility? The price point is considerably lower than what is available elsewhere, but it uses the same technology. 

We want to ensure we're using the best materials for the purpose; therefore, working with established brands and pioneers like Polartec, Cordura, and Dyneema is essential to guarantee quality because mills like those have invested in innovation. These fabrics aren't necessarily cheap, but because of the brand's ultra-light philosophy, we're constantly thinking about what we can strip away, so when it comes to the cost of making the items, that generally has quite a positive effect on the price! 

I think there's an Issey Miyake quote that says, "Price is part of the design." As the items we're making have a practical purpose, it is important that the price doesn't get in the way of use. I don't want to make something so precious that you're afraid to use it. With that said, our Cordura Nylon Slings are substantially cheaper to produce than the Dyneema version, which is reflected in the price.

How did you initially come across This Thing of Ours and what did you think of the store and its diverse offering?

I first came across This Thing of Ours online a few years ago. I’ve been buying Japanese outdoor brands since the 2000s, and I usually wait between trips to Tokyo to make purchases. TTOO was one of the first stores in the West with a decent selection of gear that you’d usually only see in Go Out magazine. Even though I never had the chance to go there in person, I’ve made a few purchases there over the years as they’ve got a pretty unique offer

What does the future hold for Gnuhr? How do you evolve from here?

It's extremely early days for gnuhr. We've got the luxury of taking our time to get it right, especially as we're also busy in the studio in Portland with other projects like Goldwin 0 and some other exciting things that I'd love to talk about when they're ready! We only started selling things at the start of this year, and we've got a whole stack of ideas we're working on behind the scenes. The goal is to have a complete set of backpacking products, which we'll gradually work towards and then keep refining and stripping away until it's perfected. 

We have printed a quote from Buckminster Fuller on our care labels: "To do more and more with less and less until eventually you can do everything with nothing." It would be nice to refine and edit the product line until it eventually disappears!

Thanks, Nur, for your time! 

We just had a restock on Gnuhr and t’s available now in limited quantities, so don’t hang around.