Interview:Nihan Peker

Clothes as a way of self-expression: 

Well-defined, well-cut and monochrome...

After some education and internship in Italy you are back to İstanbul, and decided to fly with your own wings; what's new?
The recent collection Uyandırma Ayini (wake-up ritual) is my second ready-to-wear collection among total five. Previous collections which were mostly enperimental and not intended for the mass market had tendency towards to haute couture but now i'm more reachable. This is what i want right now: To be consumed casually. 

Your collections have always been abstractly well defined with cultural references, how do you decide a concept?
That's right, every collection has a unique theme. And these themes spring naturally in the design process. I always start with researching the right clothes for the garments. Time i spend for the research is pretty short but i construct all the concept at this very limited time.
When i was preparing for Hamal collection, i spent so much time in Eminönü. I saw a lot of hamal (street porter) there. How they carry their 'küfe' (a very large basket carried on the back by street porters) and how the küfe itself is woven inspired me. I'm basically interested in traditional Turkish culture. For instance, i have a big respect for all the aspects of sufi culture and i reflected this fascination at 'Semazenler' with writing and other details placed on pieces of clothing. 

Is there any chracteristics you especially give a place in your desings?
In general, i am not in love with colours. All the clothes tend to be monochrome. I always design things i certainly would like to wear on and that's because my designs mostly are well-cut, plain and black and white. The collections are basically consisted of two main parts: well-cut, masculine white shirts (yes, i love white shirts very very much) and disproportionately cut or woven pieces. 

Each garment is unique. Even the sizes make a difference. Sometimes people who try a different size of the same piece say that that is not looking the way other one is. They are right, all of the pieces look different on a different body. And because of this disproportion the wearer may adjust its look according to her taste with simple accessories.

So which words do you think describe your style best?
Plain and monochrome; experimental but deliberate...


What's your favourite texture?
Organza. Some of the dresses are made of organza in this spring collection. They're wearable in a daily routine. Actually i'm more interested in threads rather than fabrics. After all fabrics are woven with threads. And to emphasize this admiration of mine i use strings in a very direct way on clothes. Sometimes i tear a cloth into pieces just to make new strings... 


Who is your favourite designer?
Yasemin Özeri, Öykü Thurston, Elif Cığızoğlu, Özgür Masur, Ümit Ünal and Jil Sander...


What's the most important challenge a young designer who tries to stand on her/his own legs is supposed to deal with?
A place for a permenant retail. Now, for the last two collections i sell my designs at Laundromat. But Laundromat has a changing concept over the time and that's because it's not clear that how long more i may keep selling there. The revenue i get from the sales is significantly absorbed by the expenditures of production. That's a circle hard to break.

Because of this reason most designers get into business by working under the name of a big brand. Why didnt you choose that path?
Because i want to express myself. Even though i could get a chance to work for a creatively driven brand, my role as a beginner would be so limited. Besides i feel a very strong energy inside me to go on my own way... 

What's the most important difficulty you face during the production process?
I've no contract with a single atelier. I work with several independent tailors and patternmakers. That's because it's really hard to keep an eye on all of the goods during the production. And sometimes dirty results of the clothes or inadequate stitching could be a problem.

Who do you think would like to wear your designs on?
Women who appreciate distinctive and delicate design...


What we should expect in the near future?
All of my five collections were constructed around a specific idea. The whole idea is developing even more right now. 
For the next collection you'll see more shirts... White will be dominant colour, along with a touch of beige. 
The current collection is "Wake-up ritual" and the next one will be named "Narcosis". It'll be a calm and dignified collection.
I imagine and wish to use a hospital gallery for an exibition. Everything will be white and garments will be worn by sculptures. I hope it comes true.

Interview: Behind the brand, Closh

Over the previous entry below, i talked with  the designers of Closh, Selvin Parunakyan and Serli Keçoğlu, about the current situation of their two-year-old brand. 

 

• You had started your business right before the global economic crisis. Even well-established brands have been severely affected by this turmoil all around the world. And it's known that small businesses have been comparatively more vulnarable, in general. Was that period harmful for you?

We are influenced directly by not the economic crisis itself but its perception in people’s mind.

Because the word, crisis, was so talked about and widespread that at some point, people became hesitant to shop and even they didn't want to go out for a short period of time. 
And then it eased up. Fortunately it was not so destructive for us.

• Do you take the latest trends into consider while you are designing? Or do you just go your own way?

Our clothes are mainly inspired by vintage designs. We modernize them as keeping the essence of the original design. Bows, falbalas, corsages, laces and pearls are the main characteristics on our cloths.  

• What’s prior while you are designing: Reflecting the original essence of the design or the expectations of your customers?

Of course, what the customers need for a good living is our first concern. But when we recreate an old-fashioned design, we try to keep its form the same as once it was! For that, we use iron corsets to keep the body tight and in shape and tutus to make the skirts and dresses swollen... 

• What’s the ratio of ready-to-wear to Haute couture in sales?

 It depends. But we can say that ready-to-wear and haute couture sales are almost fifty-fifty. 

• Now, you have partnerships with some of the popular tv series. How did it start?

 The stylists of these series discovered Closh. They said that the style of our cloths suits the characters in the serials they work with. And so our partnerships have improved. We help them choose what’s best for their need!

• How these partnerships have affected your brand? 

Because we live in a culture popularity is appreciated, we are certainly glad about this new brand awareness and perception Boutique Closh has now!

People would like to look like as chic as the personas they watch on the screen; so they, as a general tendency, try to imitate these tv figures and we help them live the life they wish for.

• What will be your next step for Closh? 

 We'd like to launch Closh abroad. But the details are not clear yet.

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