Burc Akyol navigates the intricate dance between love and personal freedom in his Spring-Summer 25 collection, Coeur Ouvert [Open Heart]. A true expression of raw emotional landscapes transformed into fabric and form.

Akyol incorporates his recent civil union into the collection, contemplating the connections of love and the resulting sacrifice of personal freedom – is this when I say goodbye to me being me? or rather the possibilities of me as the parallel. The collection features pieces that symbolize different stages of a relationship, from the exciting thrill of new love represented by colourful, flowing dresses to the sturdy reliability of tailored suits that signify long-term commitment and the occasionally constricting aspects of monogamy – what about getting drunk and going out and not having to text to say I’ll be home late?

The collection navigates the challenges of maintaining personal identity while being closely connected to another. Depicted through a balance of sheer, delicate fabrics and structured, hard lines, symbolizing the ongoing conflict between personal desires and shared responsibilities – love wraps in alluring ceremonials and embalms like tuberose but leaves you bare like fraying fabric.

Love eats all space – art serves as a refuge in the places where love takes over. A feeling evident in the way the collection utilizes space and texture. The aspects of oneself that have been lost or surrendered to love are symbolised by large silhouettes, while the intricate inner worlds that remain deeply personal are mirrored by textures and patterns.

And each time your heart opens you sign a lease over a permissive field of vulnerability – this collection is a heartfelt message to the former version of oneself and the current evolved self. It is a tribute to the challenges and successes experienced in love, the liberation discovered within boundaries, and the creative elegance arising from personal struggles – those vulnerabilities, how they become the cement of you.

Discover the backstage at Burc Akyol Spring-Summer 25 Fashion Show on Crash.

Photo Credits: Chiara Bruschini