Dilara: Between Heaven and Hell
Since the last Grammy Awards, one name has been on the lips of every fashion addict: Doja Cat. Rebel, subversive, and with a gothic yet dainty look, the singer wore a strapless princess-cut corset gown loaded with details and draped to the gods.
Featuring a ruffled trim along the neckline, the column skirt boasted messy draping details pinned beneath a sheer overlay. She accessorized with a pair of Prada office-siren-core glasses, red peep-toe pumps matching her bold red lip, and bold diamond cross necklaces paired with silver sword earrings. But who's the mastermind behind the dress that caused such a panic? Doja had it tattooed (temporarily, along with other temporary tattoos like the Gothic cathedral on her chest) on her forehead the same evening as the Grammys: Dilara Findikoglu.
Dilara Findikoglu
Graduating in 2015 from Central Saint Martins, she wasn't included in the end-of-year collective runway, but that didn't stop her from creating CSM Encore, a guerrilla runway show through the streets of London – the underdogs' runway, the excluded fashion show. With a Westwoodian attitude and an aesthetic that's a hybrid of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and John Galliano's vibes for Dior, the designer expresses her personal concept of fashion and has emerged as one of the most talked-about contemporary designers of the moment. Punk, goth, circus, feminist. For Findikoglu, what really makes the difference is the identification of femininity on the edge between the sacred and the profane - reminiscent of Islamic influence - and the extreme and carnal approach to the body and feminism as a testimony of someone who has experienced—on her own skin—the most extreme patriarchal derivations. It's a message that starts from her own origins and becomes a manifesto of a universal claim for the female body, expressing itself creatively by choosing artists with similar tastes, as in the case of the 2021 swimwear line campaign by Yorgos Lanthimos. Active in social issues and a defender of human rights, her fashion is both art and a political manifesto.
The FW23 was titled "No Man’s Territory" and drew its origins from protests in Iran over the murder of Mahsa Amini. The result was a dreamy and disturbing runway, with a message that astonished and twisted guts simultaneously. "I was inspired by how they cut their hair on the street," says Findikoglu. "It was so powerful. I took the hair and turned it into tops, bralettes, and bustiers, intertwined around the chest and waist, so now they wear them as they want." Today, for Findikoglu, there's no room for minimalism, still: tulle, lace, and flowers merge with harnesses, asymmetric cuts, and cascades of pearls, drawing the modern version of a mischievous Anne Boleyn and transposing the audacity of Joan of Arc into a proud and fearless style. Her client roster includes the kind of A-list talent many brands can only dream of, from Cardi B and Lady Gaga to Madonna and Bella Hadid. She's also the mind behind some of the biggest celebrity looks this summer—including the ruby red silk mini dress Margot Robbie wore to the "Barbie" VIP red carpet in London, and the hand-sculpted knife dress Hari Nef donned at the film's premiere. Dilara offers up these fierce yet still delicate visions of female beauty and isn’t scared to go to dark places or make you feel uncomfortable watching her doing so. She is a woman designing for women.
Courtesy of Dilara Findikoglu
But asserting one's presence in a male-dominated world that leaves little room for imagination is often overwhelming. Her previous collections have been rooted in deep, messy conflict: good versus evil, past versus present, Istanbul versus London, political or sexual freedom versus oppression, and this has often been the subject of criticism. Moving forward with the work, especially if you're at the mercy of the entire world—which often judges without knowledge and without going beyond the surface—can become exhausting. Dilara has indeed stated: "I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders every time I start a collection, let alone finish one... I know I overwork myself massively." But the real beauty of the designer's work lies in all the elements that disturb. Her roots and heritage are a heavy burden, and it's clear that she has always had so much to say about what bothered her about the world. Initially, she was neither given a voice nor opportunities, but Dilara took them by force, bringing out everything emotionally and even physically pushing her to do what she does. "I am very, very inspired by the street and subcultures," she said. "And if I'm not going to see my clothes on the street, it makes me think, 'Why am I doing this?' I want normal. I need normal, too. Power comes by making the Dilara world part of real life."
