Dice Kayek

2014 was an especially important year for Franco-Turkish fashion house Dice Kayek. After celebrating its 20th anniversary, publishing a book and having been selected for the Jameel Prize – a prestigious London-based award given by top architect Zaha Hadid, to support young creatives that draw inspiration from Muslim culture. Kayek began the official haute couture season as an invited member of the rigorous Chambre Syndicale parisenne – a momentous occasion for sisters Ece and Ayse Ege. Last July, the duo debuted it’s latest collection – colourful and tactile silhouettes employing origami-inspired folding techniques. It’s no wonder that Japan remains trendy and has influenced the fashion brand since day one – when artistic director Ece Ege reworked the classic white shirt with haute couture techniques. The duo’s style has changed overtime, incorporating architectural precision, noble materials and the richness of embroidery – a reoccurring theme associated with Ottoman culture, an eternal source of inspiration, much like Istanbul. TLmag spoke to Paris-based Ece Ege just before the start of the season. TLmag: Your work transcends fashion and design. Could you talk about this dialogue? Ece Ege: Architecture is my main inspiration, all my designs begin with structure. At the same time, design is interesting and refreshing – allowing me to break the monotonous and static cycle of only creating garments. I design objects for diverse and varied sectors. For example, the Nebula marble installation – developed for Turkish Stone and presented at the 2014 Salone del Mobile in Milan – reinterprets the codes normally associated with traditional hammams. Architecture and design are two non-negotiable values in my practice. TLmag: Based in Paris for 20-years, since launching the brand, how do you still draw influence from Turkish references, materials and techniques? EE: I travel from Paris to Istanbul often, my life is split between both cities. Istanbul’s cultural heritage, Ottoman and modern architecture have a strong influence on my design – artisan traditions such as embroidery always resurface. It’s a technique that has been part of my process since starting Dice Kayek, even when working outside of fashion. Obviously, my way of using embroidery varies based on different trends but Ottoman culture, a tradition I inherited since my childhood in Turkey, is omnipresent. TLmag: How is your Istanbul Contrast collection characterised by comparison EE: Istanbul is a wonderful and mysterious city. All sorts of sociological tendencies, political-orientations and traditions cohabitate in harmony in this large metropolis – rich in artisanal heritage, culture and architecture. Numerous civilizations from various ethnicities have held realm in Istanbul over thousands of years. This history offers an infinitely colourful panorama of that creates an eclectic atmosphere. This collection pulls from the city’s architectural, ready-to-wear fashion and costumes. TLmag: Does the book you published about Dice Kayek this year commemorate your 20th-years anniversary?

EE: Our goal with the book was to materialise a total overview of our creations, experiences and the mastery of craft, accumulated over the past 20-years. This is exactly why we also entitled the edition Istanbul Contrast – a milestone also marked by the Jameel Prize. We are the first fashion house to receive this honour. Three of our dresses were chosen as part of a traveling exhibition traveling the world till the end of 2015 – on show at Saint Petersburg’s Kazan Hermitage, the Sharjah Museum of Art and the Manège in Moscow. In addition, we organised aparallel exhibition entitled Istanbul Contrast. This year, we also opened our first flagship in Kuwait City, will participant in the Istanbul Design Biennial and developed a short film.

TLmag: Why did you choose to work with film to debut your latest collection – a collaboration with Marie Schuller from SHOWstudio? EE: Personally, I was a bit tired of organising ready-to-wear runway show – for me, this type of clothing presentation has become too obvious and has lost all creative interest. All it is, is pretty dresses worn by pretty girls. I needed to find a more artistic method to express my vision and to present my latest creates for the upcoming season. The choice of working with film came from my love of cinema, a medium that brings all artistic practices together – music, poetry, decor, fashion, design, philosophy, dance and visuals. You can show 100% of yourself on screen. So, I started creating fashion films, each time with a different scenarios. Videos are good archives that can be constantly revisited.