Some creative paths begin long before they are given a name. For this editorial, the story traces back to childhood and to the quiet fascination of watching fabric become clothing in the hands of a gifted dressmaker. At around nine years old, hours spent observing a mother at work offered an early introduction to the artistry, patience and emotion behind fashion. Fashion magazines soon became another source of inspiration, opening a world of designers, photography and editorial expression that would later take on an unexpected personal significance.
By Zülfiye Çıtak
Dress Designer: Lena Erziak; Jewelry: Purpurequeen; Designer: Anastasia Paltavets
Years later, this editorial marks a meaningful continuation of that early fascination. What once existed on the pages of magazines became an opportunity to participate in the creative process itself, bringing together fashion, beauty, photography and a collective of artists with distinct perspectives.
At the centre of the project is Creative Director and Head Makeup Artist Zülfiye Çıtak, whose vision shaped the editorial and brought its creative team together. The production was conceived as a shared visual narrative, with each contributor adding an individual point of view while maintaining a clear connection between the different elements of the story.
Dress Designer: Lena Erziak; Jewelry: Purpurequeen; Designer: Anastasia Paltavets
The designs of Lena Erziak and Yasemin Akgül form a central part of its fashion direction. Erziak’s contemporary silhouettes introduce precise lines and a sense of refined strength, while Akgül’s handcrafted details and intricate textures place particular attention on technique and craftsmanship. Together, their creations give each look its own character while establishing a strong dialogue between form, material and detail. Fashion Stylist Saskia Klett developed the styling across the editorial, coordinating the garments with shoes and accessories to create a considered visual continuity. Jewellery by Purpure Queen – Anastasiia Poltavets completes the looks with carefully selected details that complement the clothing without distracting from its construction. Behind the camera, Photographer Emine Colak approached the editorial through both fashion and human presence. Her images capture the relationship between the garments, their surroundings and the personalities in front of the lens. Models Flora Schwarz, Younes Dahmani and Yérima Sebastian Malik Kornmeier interpret the looks with individual presence, allowing the clothing to take on a different character from one frame to the next.
Designer: Yasemin Akgül; ACCESSORIES; Shoes: Valentino; Shoes: Givenchy
The beauty direction further defines each image. Hair Artists Yan Pintar and Spyro Kazepidis, together with Makeup Artists Arielle Waschke and Büşra Aydın, developed hair and makeup that complement the styling while allowing the fashion to remain the principal focus. Precision and restraint give each look its own identity without overwhelming the wider visual narrative.
The production was also supported by Méphistophélès Press & Prod. in PR and celebrity relations, while Eastwest Agency contributed to casting and talent coordination throughout the editorial.
Ultimately, the project connects two moments separated by years: the childhood experience of discovering fashion through a mother’s craftsmanship and the later opportunity to contribute to the creation of the very kind of editorial imagery once encountered only in magazines. What began with observing, reading and imagining has developed into a collaborative fashion story created alongside designers, stylists, photographers, models, hair and makeup artists, and production professionals. A Dream Turned Into a Fashion Story is therefore both a fashion editorial and a personal creative milestone — one shaped by an early encounter with craftsmanship and realised through the work of an international team.
Designer: Yasemin Akgül; ACCESSORIES; Shoes: Valentino; Shoes: Givenchy
Credits
Creative Director & Head Make-up Artist: Zülfiye Citak — @citak_zulfiye
Designers: Yasemin Akgül & Lena Erziak — @yaseminakguel, @lena_erziak
Photographer: Emine Colak — @emcphy
PR & Celebrity Relations: Méphistophélès Press&Prod — @mephistophelesproductions
Model Agency: Eastwest Models & Laura Höppel — @eastwestmodels, @laura.hpl
Models: Younes Dahmani, Flora Schwarz & Yérima Sebastian Malik Kornmeier — @dahmaniyounes7, @flo_a, @yerimakornmeier
Hair Stylists: Yan Pintar & Spyro Kazepidis — @yanpintar1, @spyro.k
Make-up Artists: Arielle Waschke & Büşra Aydin — @by_arielle_mua, @busraaydin.mua
Fashion Stylist: Saskia Klett — @saskiaklett
Jewelry Designer: Purpure Queen – Anastasiia Polyavets — @purpure_queen
Videographers: Natalie Kölbl & Rob Lee — @nataliekoelbl, @rob.lee.writes