FASHION

DILARA FINDIKOGLU PRESENTS « SEVEN SISTERS OF INHERITED SUN »

By Alice Butterlin

One of the breakthrough designers from Central Saint Martin’s class of 2015, Dilara Findikoglu, has managed, in the space of two years, to draw attention to her bizarre and unique collections that showcase the designer’s whimsical imagination and vision. Having been brought up in a conservative Islamic family, the turkish designer likes playing with the religious imaginary and symbols, pushing the boundaries further and further. Her first official colection, « Dante’s Islamic Inferno » set the tone for what was to come. More than dressing human bodies, Dilara molds creatures of a lost era for the aliens of our generation.

Her latest collection, « Seven Sisters of Inherited Sun », presented yesterday at London Fashion Week, delved further into the abyss of victorian gothic imagery. Inspired by the Pleiades, the seven daughters of the titan Atlas, represented by seven stars in the night sky, the collection is built around the idea of strong and timeless mythological women, impervious to society’s pressures. Playing with the dichotomy of victorian-era restraint and punk rebelliousness, Findikoglu clashes delicate embroideries and frills with chains and acid colors. Models are clad with distorted foreheads and occult face paintings, eyes are dark and fierce. The designer’s signature color, red, is still very present from magnificent tartan dresses to a houndstooth set. The Dilara creature is bold, fearless and worships Satan, with hair styled into horns and black metal typos.

With this collection, Findikoglu further proves her penchant for 70s and 80s subcultures and extreme arts, preferring the grandiloquence of layers upon layers of fabric and textures to any minimalist aesthetic. Eager to showcase her incredible sensibility for music, literature and arts, she crafts collections that are intricate and wild beyond words. Dilara Findikoglu is set to become one of the reasons London Fashion Week is regarded as the most exciting of all.