“everything exists in the moment, in a sea of endless possibilities”
N: It's like the resurrection is coming, isn't it? Etymologically, if we look at the meaning of it, it comes from resurrect. I think that the thing inside us all is now ready to stand up. Don’t you think so?
A: Now I understand that, it was always like that. In fact, everything exists in the moment, in a sea of endless possibilities. I believe that everything that happens is perfect. Of course, I may not be able to control my emotions every second by believing this, but in a system that we think is wrong, it is very valuable to find our own truth and share it.
N: Asli, you studied in New York. What did you study?
A: I seriously studied at Bilkent, I wouldn't have graduated otherwise anyway, but Parsons could have been a pretty fashionable excuse in those years to move to New York. I was paying for all the lessons that I took myself, so I was "dropping" the lesson because the teacher was late for the lesson. For this reason, I couldn’t complete a diploma in design, and since no one would hire me without a diploma, I established my own brand. In fact, my heart and my hands always wanted to exist in an area where they could do something together. There is no one-way to do your work, the important thing is to have your own way. Having studied economics is the most important factor in my understanding that the business cannot exist without sales. It is very important in the fashion industry that the supply and demand curves fit together.
“as i first wanted to discover the legacy left by Anatolia's creative energy to us, i have always been inspired by these lands”
N: Aslı, you got inspiration from Iznik tiles, from Mimar Sinan, from Galata Tower, from Leyla Gencer, from Nazım Hikmet, from Fikret Mualla, from Piri Reis. We can see the point of your inspiration, but I wonder why. Why did you choose this way for your inspiration?
A: As I first wanted to discover the legacy of Anatolia's creative energy left to us, I have always been inspired by these lands. From the first moment I started to explore, I have always designed by feeling in my heart, without going astray. Creative geniuses and spirits, who made the value of this land so meaningful, passed through here. Researching their disciplines and inspirations has always excited me.Because my aim was to modernize their creativity and invite them to life again, and to bring the value of their art to the agenda again. For example, Nazım Hikmet, Piri Reis, Leyla Gencer, Fikret Mualla... For example, the unique Magnificent Sinan. The subject was never just about textiles or fashion for me.
N: You used the abjad calculation that Mimar Sinan used in his works while designing the clothes. Can you tell us more about this?
A: I admired Mimar Sinan's point of view, I went to Edirne and examined the Selimiye Mosque, which he called "my masterpiece". I came back, learnt the abjad calculation of Süleymaniye, understood the love in the construction of Mihrimah Sultan Mosques and the real power of design. I left the pen from time to time, then I took the pen again and continued drawing, adapting all of Sinan's inspirations myself. I was impressed by the fact that all the angles and lengths used in Mimar Sinan's works became meaningful with the "abjad calculation", and I prepared the patterns of the clothes in accordance with the same calculations. (Abjad calculus is to calculate the numerical value of words using an alphabetical number system. It is a word derived from the old order of the Arabic alphabet -alif, ba, jim, dal- with the pronunciation of the first four letters (A-B-J-D).) Their visible silhouettes are 92 cubits, which is the equivalent of a word in the sura. The length of my dress is 92 cm this season. Or, for example, inspired by Mimar Sinan's masterpiece Selimiye Mosque, I embroidered the master's domes on the fabrics as a special effect. I tried to interpret Mimar Sinan's work in which he transformed circles into rectangles and hexagons into octagons. I also drew a pattern inspired by Sinan's love for Mihrimah Sultan, as Sinan successfully embroidered motifs and ornaments into architectural forms. This pattern was specially printed on silk fabrics, and when you look closely at the story on the fabric, the miniature of Mihrimah Sultan stands out.