Gizem wearing Ursula Wrap Dress
stories no.18
Gizem Yücelen
#womenbehindtheidea
Meet Gizem, who came out of the playground she built for herself and showed us the unique differences with her brand and designed bags. We had a great day with him in Moda. While talking about her brand “Hooop the Bag” and its design process, we had the chance to know Gizem closely.
Gizem wearing Ursula Wrap Dress
stories no.18
Gizem Yücelen
#womenbehindtheidea
Meet Gizem, who came out of the playground she built for herself and showed us the unique differences with her brand and designed bags. We had a great day with him in Moda. While talking about her brand “Hooop the Bag” and its design process, we had the chance to know Gizem closely.
1.Can you tell us a little about Gizem? Where was Gizem when founding Hooop the Bag?
Gizem: Gizem was still a student while was making her first Hooop the Bag in 2012. The playground he built for himself with his inner voice, the thoughts and dreams he wanted to express, was born as an opportunity to tell a story.
2. You emphasize reminding the value of handcraft in your brand. We think you have unique designs. What does it mean to you to express your story and art in this way?
Gizem: The period when I made my first attempts was when I was going to graduate from the fashion design department and had trips to factories. These trips helped me think about labor and handicraft. I realized that what excited many of my friends was that mass production, large factories did not make me feel good, and that although there were dozens of people working at the same time like machines, it bothered me that their presence, labor, and hands were not felt on the job. The discomfort I felt at this point took me from my grandmother and my mother to what I know best, handicrafts, traditional handicrafts. Handcraft has been a way for me to both respect the person who made it and his work and connection with my past.
3. How did you decide on the material to use? Was this process difficult for you? How did you overcome the difficulties?
Gizem: From day one, my only constant material has been the hoop. It was easy for me to decide on because wherever my search took me, it was a material that I was used to seeing in my mother’s and grandmother’s hands, a means of making handicrafts and that at the same time adding beauty to the work. Other than that, materials have always been a field of trial and error for me. It’s a topic that I’m stuck with right now and that’s causing me to pause. I see alternative leather options such as skin made from fruit/vegetables, bio-skins in different parts of the world, and in a world where these are possible, I do not feel comfortable continuing with the animal skin we have known for centuries. That’s why I gave Hooop the Bag a rest for now until a future where I can either find these raw materials in Turkey or procure them from abroad and continue with my heart in every sense.
4. Besides being a designer, you are a Clean Clothes Campaign activist. As Ren, one of our brand values is activism. What does this mean for you?
Gizem: The factory trips I mentioned were trips that opened the door to thinking about labor for me as well as a handicraft. I have had a special relationship with clothes since childhood. I have a childhood and youth beginning with a weight problem. At that time, I used to see my clothes as a shield that would draw attention to my weight and describe me in my way. So clothes were my means of communication in a way that had a soul and value. I have always thought of the way these clothes are made in the same way that the soul participates and the existence of the maker is added to the process. But the factory tours made me think about how mass production killed this dream spirit. By the way, these factories in Italy where big brands produced under good conditions. While I was thinking about this, I had not learned that there are people who sacrifice not only their souls but also their lives to produce clothes. When my interest turned to these subjects, it didn’t take long for me to learn them as well. And after two different companies where I experienced how bad the working conditions in textile were, I decided to proceed on an academic path on the subject. In this process, my path crossed with the Clean Clothes Campaign. If we want things to change, if we dream of a more livable world, if only we live in a world where we are given what we deserve without our efforts. But sitting and waiting for change is unrealistic and makes me uneasy. I think that all kinds of small and big steps and efforts of each of us are needed for change. I want to convey as much as my voice can reach and try whatever way I can to make a sound.
5. Can you tell us how you felt when you wore the Ursula Wrap Dress in three words?
Gizem: It was a snowy day that we met, she. As soon as I wore it, it made me realize how much I missed the summer. Since I’m already dreaming of the summer day I will wear, I can say summer day warmth, comfort, and harmony.
1.Can you tell us a little about Gizem? Where was Gizem when founding Hooop the Bag?
Gizem: Gizem was still a student while was making her first Hooop the Bag in 2012. The playground he built for himself with his inner voice, the thoughts and dreams he wanted to express, was born as an opportunity to tell a story.
2. You emphasize reminding the value of handcraft in your brand. We think you have unique designs. What does it mean to you to express your story and art in this way?
Gizem: The period when I made my first attempts was when I was going to graduate from the fashion design department and had trips to factories. These trips helped me think about labor and handicraft. I realized that what excited many of my friends was that mass production, large factories did not make me feel good, and that although there were dozens of people working at the same time like machines, it bothered me that their presence, labor, and hands were not felt on the job. The discomfort I felt at this point took me from my grandmother and my mother to what I know best, handicrafts, traditional handicrafts. Handcraft has been a way for me to both respect the person who made it and his work and connection with my past.
3. How did you decide on the material to use? Was this process difficult for you? How did you overcome the difficulties?
Gizem: From day one, my only constant material has been the hoop. It was easy for me to decide on because wherever my search took me, it was a material that I was used to seeing in my mother’s and grandmother’s hands, a means of making handicrafts and that at the same time adding beauty to the work. Other than that, materials have always been a field of trial and error for me. It’s a topic that I’m stuck with right now and that’s causing me to pause. I see alternative leather options such as skin made from fruit/vegetables, bio-skins in different parts of the world, and in a world where these are possible, I do not feel comfortable continuing with the animal skin we have known for centuries. That’s why I gave Hooop the Bag a rest for now until a future where I can either find these raw materials in Turkey or procure them from abroad and continue with my heart in every sense.
4. Besides being a designer, you are a Clean Clothes Campaign activist. As Ren, one of our brand values is activism. What does this mean for you?
Gizem: The factory trips I mentioned were trips that opened the door to thinking about labor for me as well as a handicraft. I have had a special relationship with clothes since childhood. I have a childhood and youth beginning with a weight problem. At that time, I used to see my clothes as a shield that would draw attention to my weight and describe me in my way. So clothes were my means of communication in a way that had a soul and value. I have always thought of the way these clothes are made in the same way that the soul participates and the existence of the maker is added to the process. But the factory tours made me think about how mass production killed this dream spirit. By the way, these factories in Italy where big brands produced under good conditions. While I was thinking about this, I had not learned that there are people who sacrifice not only their souls but also their lives to produce clothes. When my interest turned to these subjects, it didn’t take long for me to learn them as well. And after two different companies where I experienced how bad the working conditions in textile were, I decided to proceed on an academic path on the subject. In this process, my path crossed with the Clean Clothes Campaign. If we want things to change, if we dream of a more livable world, if only we live in a world where we are given what we deserve without our efforts. But sitting and waiting for change is unrealistic and makes me uneasy. I think that all kinds of small and big steps and efforts of each of us are needed for change. I want to convey as much as my voice can reach and try whatever way I can to make a sound.
5. Can you tell us how you felt when you wore the Ursula Wrap Dress in three words?
Gizem: It was a snowy day that we met, she. As soon as I wore it, it made me realize how much I missed the summer. Since I’m already dreaming of the summer day I will wear, I can say summer day warmth, comfort, and harmony.