Introducing Siedrés: From Emily Ratajkowski to Hailey Bieber, Celebrities Are Obsessed With This New Turkish It-Brand
Bazaar’s Devinder Bains chats to the creative masterminds behind the label Hollywood A-Listers can’t get enough of
Social media is full of our friends, family members, work colleagues and of course celebrities basking in the summer sun, and while we’re keen to spy on what everyone’s eating, drinking, and which luxury pads they’re sleeping in, we’re always paying even closer attention to what everyone is wearing. One particularly standout look of late has been Hailey Bieber in the immaculate, ’70s-inspired MULT trousers by little-known Turkish label, Siedrés. The model can’t seem to get enough of the brand, also sharing an Instagram post from Las Vegas in a multicoloured Siedrés Anton shirt. The MULT trousers popped up again with Emily Ratajkowski wearing them in a more casual manner on a day out with baby Sylvester Apollo Bear.
So, what do we know about Siedrés? The brand is the brainchild of husband-and-wife design duo Emir and Ceylin Blige, and despite the launch coinciding with the start of COVID-19, and very much being a boutique, local brand, it has enjoyed global success. The dreamy holiday pieces are inspired by the beauty of Turkey, Ceylin’s mother’s ’70s wardrobe and her grandma’s tablecloth prints. And the celebrity endorsements haven’t done any harm – with the MULT trousers selling out almost immediately after their Instagram fame. Bazaar caught up with Ceylin to chat all things Siedrés…
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia (HBA): How did Siedrés came about?
Ceylin Blige: For a long time, my husband Emir and I had a dream that we’ve been planning to bring to life; moving to a place in the Aegean or the Mediterranean in Turkey and building a living space with a boutique hotel, restaurant and ateliers. We drew a roadmap that would take us to this dream and firstly started with womenswear, an area I was experienced in. I studied fashion design in New York and came back to Istanbul after my internships, and before Siedrés, I was also working as a designer.
HBA: Tell us the story behind Siedrés – the imaginary town the brand is named after…
Ceylin Blige: We wanted to find a name that sounds nice and feels Mediterranean. That’s what I mean by creating a Mediterranean world of our own – with its name, its feel, its colours, with everything…
HBA: What was your vision for Siedrés?
Ceylin Blige: We want Siedrés to be a lifestyle brand that is nourished by the lands we’re living in and reflects the lifestyle of the Mediterranean coasts. And afterwards we want to make our dream of building this little town a reality. After six years of experiences and marrying Emir, who is also a design enthusiast, we decided to create our brand and our own Mediterranean world together.
HBA: What have been the biggest challenges?
Ceylin Blige: Launching the brand at the same time as COVID-19 started was a real challenge. With people not knowing what to expect and other people trying to save lives, selling clothes and making our voice heard was quite difficult. But of course, there were other advantages, it was an excuse for us to really strengthen our digital presence. There were also really serious changes and regulations at customs – since we do the shipping from Turkey, it was a real challenge to control the delays we encountered.
HBA: Tell us about your personal style and how that is reflected in Siedrés…
Ceylin Blige: I’m usually very keen on my own comfort and as you can see I love colours and patterns. That’s why I like to design comfortable items with patterns and colourful details in order to create a relaxed yet refined style.
HBA: Tell us about your mother and how her style is an inspiration…
Ceylin Blige: I grew up in a city called Bursa – where my father is from, and my mother moved there from Istanbul when they got married. I grew up in a crowded circle where everyone knew each other and we were always together. Both my parents loved the concept of a summer house and loved having guests over – after spending our noons by the pool, even if we were at home, we would dress up and have enjoyable food. Those times carry my fondest memories, that’s why colourful and patterned clothes, paintings, our lifestyle from those times are a huge inspiration to me. Also, thanks to my mother I have a big vintage closet with a lot of colours and patterns.
HBA: Where do you get the ideas for the stunning prints?
Ceylin Blige: The inspiration generally comes from my combined experiences of growing up in a small town and living in a big city, and from my own authentic culture. And from my childhood summer holidays, which were spent with family and friends in Bodrum – a seaside town on the southern Aegean coast of Turkey.
HBA: Tell us more about how Turkey and the region plays a part in the aesthetic of the pieces…
Ceylin Blige: We have beautiful fabrics and weaves that are special to Anatolian and Aegean regions. I’m also inspired by the villages, seaside towns and the nature. The colours of the sea of the Aegean and the Mediterranean really feeds my design aesthetic.
HBA: Tell us about the local element when it comes to production of the pieces…
Ceylin Blige: In our country, textile production is one of the most important sectors and we have beautiful textiles which are manually done by Anatolian women. I’m trying hard to use these fabrics in our collections. All of our fabrics are from Turkey, and we work with small local production factories and ateliers, providing job opportunities for the local people.
HBA: What are your favourite pieces?
Ceylin Blige: My favourite pieces are generally printed cotton shirts and pants because they are best for a relaxed yet refined daily look. The MULT pants and ANTON shirt are the ones that have been most popular because they are both recognisable with their patterns and colours, but they are still very comfortable items. They are items that can be styled for both day and night for a chic look.
HBA: Can you tell us the thinking behind the MULT trouser design…
Ceylin Blige: MULT is actually a model we have had since the very first season. When we first founded, we didn’t have the machine for the knit fabrics, so we started to use exterior coloured stitches as a design element for our knit styles. This season we decided to do MULT pants in coloured mosaic-printed knit.
HBA: How did it feel to have the brand so well received by celebrities?
Ceylin Blige: To see our brand on people, and in places, that are known worldwide has been one of the most exciting aspects of the Siedrés journey so far. We are very happy and proud. As a brand that was launched a year and a half ago, reaching this point was kind of a dream to us.
HBA: Is sustainability and social impact important to Siedrés?
Ceylin Blige: We have beautiful textiles which are manually created by Anatolian women – it’s very important for us to use these signature fabrics which symbolise our own culture to ensure that Anatolian women continue to work, and to prevent these weaving techniques from eventually disappearing. Devoted to manufacturing the perfect, everlasting garments, Siedrés works with small local factories, providing job opportunities for the local people. Siedrés garments are made to be worn over and over again, hence the commitment to sustainability.
HBA: What’s next for Siedrés?
Ceylin Blige: We are going to launch menswear with the S/S22 collection and we are so excited about it. We’re growing to be a bigger team and adding more and more to this brand each day.
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From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s September 2021 issue