Renowned actress Saadet Işıl Aksoy may not enjoy being at the forefront in her daily life but continues to stand out with her minimal and chic style. This explains why her style perfectly aligns with fashion designer and creator of Lug Von Siga Gül Ağış’s new collection “Timescape” which is born of the “craft of the past and the future.” Keep on reading for a delightful conversation with Aksoy and Ağış in the heart of nature.
You started acting at a young age. Would you still choose acting if you could go back in time? Definitely yes. In fact, I probably would have started acting even earlier. You’ve performed in many films and TV series throughout your career. What’s your biggest professional dream? Consistency, sustainability, and determination.
Acting requires taking on different roles and sort of being reborn with each role. What do you do to prepare for a role that you think will be challenging? This is a multi-layered and personal process. To put it simply, I try to make use of everything from my past, my current life, and my imagination that I believe can help me in that role.
You’ve recently become a mother. You have quite a busy schedule. What do you do to keep the balance? What are the most important elements that give you peace? I meditate, try to spend as much time in nature as possible, and try to live my life according to the principle of “mindfulness.” In short, I create situations where I can stay in the moment. My daughter has a big part in that. Thanks to her, I can enjoy accepting life as it is again, taking notice of small beauties, and the pleasure of just playing games.
You have a minimal fashion style in your daily life. How would you define it? Maybe because I spent most of my life in Los Angeles, I spend my daily life with various combinations of comfortable dresses and flip-flops. I never wear makeup except for special occasions. I’m too fond of my freedom so I don’t particularly enjoy being seen while I’m going on with my life. Of course, I also enjoy expressing myself during special occasions and events, and in that, I feel free, too. To me, fashion means freedom and authenticity.
Your 2022 Spring/Summer collection is named “Timescape.” What inspired you to create this collection? The conceptual origin of the 2022 Spring/Summer collection before the design process was in fact a question: “What is time? Is there a single time, or does time gain meaning through perception?” This question made me focus on the perception of time, and question the contrasting connection between old and new, past and future, slow and fast. It enabled me to look at time through the perspective of renowned philosopher Henri Bergson. The “Timescape” collection focuses on the unknowability of memory in this age of post-modernism, and the co- existence of multiple information. It also investigates the attractiveness of the idea of the future that bears endless possibilities. Influenced by Bergson’s idea that the “pure present is an ungraspable advance of the past devouring the future,” the collection was born from a blend of traditional and contemporary, and a union of the craft of past and future.
Fashion requires constant self-renewal and recreation. Thus, it is necessary to quickly adapt to change and to be “reborn” when necessary. How would you comment on this? I agree. In fact, with each collection, I discover different aspects of myself in the creative process and rethink my feelings, as if I am being born again. Over the years, the static and masculine aspects of my collections evolved into more feminine and fluid forms. It was a unique experience to have and witness. In terms of speed, I try to skip the winter season in order to decelerate as much as I can, and not to easily surrender to the vicious cycle of the system. Most of our designs comprise recycled and eco-sensitive products. Especially after the pandemic, we’ve been closely experiencing the sense of rebirth both as a brand and as an approach to life.
We frequently see the rebirth of old trends and movements in fashion. We’d love to hear your opinion as a designer on time and the future of fashion in this context. We usually prefer timeless designs. Therefore, we advocate for an interpretation of time where the old and the new overlap to create an approach in which clothes will be worn for many years and will never go out of fashion. This approach does not worry about the past or the future.
How did you come to work with Saadet Işıl Aksoy, your muse in this project? We had a friend in common but also, I’ve always been inspired by her talent and attitude as an actress and her extraordinary and rare beauty. I was very happy to work with her on this project.
Genel Yayın Yönetmeni/Editor in Chief: @iremsent & @selimcancelik
Dijital İçerikler Direktörü/Digital Content Director: @gokinunal
Yayın Direktörü/Publication Director: Timur Can Ersoy
Sosyal Medya Editörü/Social Media Editor: Bilun Atikkan
Fotoğraf/Photography: Erman Istahli
Fotoğraf Asistanları/Photography Assistants: Esran Topal & Çağdaş Sezgin
Styling: İbrahim Duman
Styling Asistanı/Styling Assistant: Zemfira Jafarova
Saç-Makyaj/Hair-Makeup: Onur Bayram
Saç-Makyaj Asistanı/Hair-Makeup Assistant: Ertaç Puyan
Prodüksiyon/Production: Müge Sarıoğlu
Prodüksiyon Asistanı/Production Assistant: Bilun Atikkan