MANIFESTO

Mentari means “the sun” in Indonesian.

A source of light, life, and growth.

We created Mentari as a meeting point between all the worlds that shaped us: surf culture, travel, photography, fashion, music, friendship, and the quiet rebellion of choosing a different way to live.

We are free spirits. Not perfect surfers, not perfect artists, not trying to be perfect anything. Just people moved by the ocean, the road, the sun, and the stories found in between.

Mentari is our way of turning that feeling into something real. A brand, a diary, a community, and a reminder to stay close to nature, to move freely, and to celebrate the people and places that inspire us.

Part of this journey is also about giving something back — to the local communities, surfers, dreamers, and coastal places that carry the culture we love.

Mentari is not just about what you wear.

It is about what you chase.

Michael Naka

Raised by hippie parents in a favela in Brazil, I grew up with the ocean as my escape and surfing as my passion. Engineering took me to Germany for a master's degree, but it was modeling that unlocked a life of travel, adventure, and self discovery. I believe life isn't about collecting things-it's about collecting moments. The best memories don't come from what we own, but from the sunsets that take our breath away, the waves that challenge us, and the laughter shared with people who feel like home. Time is the only thing we can't buy, and the more we chase status, the more we risk missing what truly matters. I want to live fully, love deeply, and stay present for every fleeting. beautiful second. That's what happiness means to me.

Alexis Vangelis

I grew up between India, Vienna, and Greece — three very different places that somehow all left their mark on me.I'm happiest chasing a the last light of the day or a decent wave, and I find myself constantly drawn to people and the stories they carry. I think that's always been the thread — a need to take things in, to feel them properly, and then find a way to pass them on.Photography and film became my way of doing that. Not to document, really — more to hold onto a feeling before it slips away, and maybe share it with someone who gets it.Film school reminded me that the best things rarely happen alone. I used to think being in control mattered — now I'm more interested in what becomes possible when you let that go and just work with the people around you.