Melis Hafizoglu

Designer: Melis Hafizoglu

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Email: mhafizo@ncsu.edu

Collection Title: Misket

Bio

Growing up in America, I learned about eras of western history spanning from the beginning of civilization up to modern time. There was a dissonance between my knowledge of Western Eurocentric history and my cultural history which continued into my personal life; I was born in America yet raised in a Turkish household. I wanted to create Misket as a commitment to merging my two cultures creatively, while learning more about Turkish history.

Collection Concept

I was inspired by historical Turkish sites, specifically the Topkapi Palace, which has a section on the female Ottoman fashions of the time. My goal was to take a modern spin on these traditional silhouettes and make them wearable yet unique to the average consumer. There are some “salvar” inspired pants, “harem” pants, as well as some traditional vests, and intentional layering. There’s a rich textile history in Turkey that I also wanted to incorporate. I was able to source all my fabric from Turkey this past summer, using different textures ranging from “dantel” (hand woven lace) to “yazma” (vintage traditional handmade scarves), as well as some woven jacquard and gauzy linen.