I noticed some of your pieces are inspired by the Egyptian culture, such as the tassel bikini. Besides this theme, what are other concepts you would like to explore in future collections?
I have a tattoo of Nefertiti. I feel a strong connection to my ancestry. Ancient Egyptian civilization is something that intrigues me to my core. Queen Hatshepsut basically invented feminism, so she is definitely a character I want to explore.

Could you walk us through your creative process?
The team is basically me and a design/production consultant. She’s Turkish but based in London. We spend 2 months on video calls sharing ideas and techniques we want to explore. I am very dreamy when it comes to cuts so she’s always there to bring back to the ground. Swimwear is tough because the fit is very important and you are limited with a lot of constraints.
Fabric also plays a role this, we don’t waste so for example we still have a lot of fabric from the first collection, which we are going to use again in the upcoming one. We then meet in Istanbul, finalize samples put in the production order.

Your products are made in a family ran atelier in Istanbul. Im intrigued by your hands-on approach in learning directly from the artisans about the craft and the production process. Could you share more details on the techniques and processes involved in bringing your products to life?
Keep in mind that I do not come from this background. So I am learning everything from scratch, pattern cutting, fabric dyeing, etc.. As I am writing the answers to these questions, I am sitting at the Atelier playing around with the fabric and finalizing the samples for the upcoming collection. We use two fabric types: Stretch Satin & Mesh, so having a clean stitch technique for example is very challenging but it’s a must on all pieces.

What were the most significant obstacles you had to overcome during the creation of your brand?
As any small fashion business, the biggest struggle is funding. We are expected to release collections with every season, refresh our content on a monthly basis, dress celebrities and influencers, be present at showrooms and fashion weeks, all with self-funding. It can get hectic, but you just need to keep going. As you rightfully mentioned in your question, it’s about ‘overcoming’. Oh, and the biggest enemy of it all: Minimum Order Quantities.

Your brand aims to provide a source of inspiration and representation for women everywhere, what message do you want to transmit to the women wearing Melkyana?
You are your own.

What goals do you have for Melkyana in the near future?
One of our main aspirations is to continue providing platforms for self-expression. We want to build a sense of community and connection. We’d like to partner up with modeling agencies in cities like Cairo where modeling is frowned upon, and where young women and men struggle to show who they really are. This is just one of the possible paths for the brand, but we’re still figuring it out.

As we come to the end of our conversation, what message or piece of advice would you like to share with aspiring women in the fashion industry or those looking to follow a similar path as you?
To each their own journey, struggles, successes, ups and downs. Focus on your story and keep showing it to the world. Look elsewhere if you need to, for inspiration maybe but never for comparison.