There was a trunk show of an indigo denim collection on Moda Operandi several years ago – and that’s how I discovered the wonder that is Dice Kayek. I leaned in for a closer look at the proposition of shapes and silhouettes. It wasn’t deconstructed denim, in the case of Junya Watanabe; this denim was sculpted into shapes of dramatic volume and construction. Bell sleeves shaped with accordion pleating, wide-legged trousers, opera coats – it was eminently interesting to see the generally functional, practical fabric in such grand form.
Behind the Paris-based Dice Kayek are the Ege sisters from Istanbul: Ayşe and Ece. Pronounced dee-che kai-yehk, it’s to be spoken with Italian or German gusto, I’m told. In fact, it’s an entirely made-up name. The sisters have been in business for an impressive 25 years and speaking with them, it’s clear that their business relationship is one of left-brain, right-brain – rooted in the trust that comes with a tight sisterhood.
Ece always knew that she wanted to do something that involved the creating of beautiful things. Originally she was set to go to California to study at the Gemological Institute of America, but then she got sidetracked and went to Paris to study fashion. Realising that she had no interest to work for somebody else, she called on Ayşe, who was working for a textile company at the time. Together, they started Dice Kayek “during a time when people had the courage to make their own brands.”
This was in an era when Jean Paul Gaultier and Comme des Garçons were extremely prominent, along with the grunge trend. But Dice Kayek decided to take a different route and start with a single material: poplin. The initial collection of 15 poplin shirts featured a variety of interesting embellishments, such as flowers made to look like marble sculptures, as well as various bugs (including cockroaches).
Buyers and the media quickly took notice. Following the success of the shirts came a ready-to-wear collection, a secondary line, a daytime black label, a couture collection and bespoke.
Dice Kayek’s dresses are very much informed by the two cultures that Ece splits her time between: Istanbul and Paris. She’s inspired by architecture, and the care and importance of shape is evident in all of the collections. But it all starts with the fabric. Ayşe is wearing a wonderful white blouse with billowing sleeves that folds into her elbows – and of course, I enquire. This is a blouse that they’ve been selling for 10 years. It’s 100% silk, supplied exclusively to the brand by a sole Italian fabric supplier, crisp, with a soft and round hand.
The sisters walk me through images of the collection. Ece hates “cute” things. Her fabric colours are generally chic and sober– navy, black, white and grey, though she’s feeling rather joyful this spring, so there are pinks, yellows, and white and red polka dots on white. My retailer eye spots a black pleated skirt made of mikado fabric, which I recall was also popular in the recent Chanel couture collection that I just previewed.
Joyce Ma was one of Dice Kayek’s first customers in Hong Kong. There’s no disputing her incredible eye; she was also responsible for bringing designers such as Dries Van Noten, Jil Sander and Armani to the city many years ago. Moda Operandi contacted Ayşe, wanting to do a trunk show for the couture collection. Not entirely sure it would be a success, Ayşe had to be convinced. But to her surprise, customers purchased the couture items online and didn’t feel the need to try them on before buying. Needless to say, Moda Operandi has called again – several times.
Before we part ways, the sisters gift me with a book, Istanbul Contrast, a visual journey that documents the connection between the brand’s meticulously sculpted couture dresses and a variety of Turkish monuments and cultural details. Ece also shares a story about the Topkapi dress, which was inspired by the jewellery of the Ottoman sultan.
The dresses are all short and modern, despite having taken numerous cues from some of the oldest traditional forms. Though many of the dresses were designed more than 10 years ago, if they were worn on the red carpet today, they’d be totally relevant. The brand’s grasp on the importance of harmony explains the ultra-feminine/masculine aesthetic, the unfussy grandness of the clothes, the everyday couture and the two sisters that are Dice Kayek.
This feature originally appeared in the January 2018 print issue of #legend
