Fascinated by Corsets: Begüm Bayoğlu
Begüm started to work as a costume designer for commercials after graduating from the Department of Fashion Design at Istituto Marangoni Milano and managed to turn her admiration for the glory of historical costumes and curiosity for nostalgia into a profession. In 2017, she took this one step further and founded the brand Soporose. She offers a modern interpretation of corsets, the most iconic fashion piece in history, by remaining true to its roots.
What makes costume design attractive for you?
What I’m really passionate about is to create a concept and a character. That’s how I became curious about costume design. My biggest inspiration has been coherent movie characters who have been identified with their costumes and those movies were the reason I started this job.
What directed you to something so specific as corsets?
I’ve always been fascinated by corsets. I think they make women look elegant and feminine as well as strong and sturdy as if they were wearing an armor.
How is your relationship with history?
It’s one of my biggest interests but I focus on how people lived rather than historic events. I believe that learning about history sheds light on the present and it’s very important for self-improvement to ask the right questions and make the right deductions. Besides, I also find it very interesting to examine the conditions back then in detail.
You have a style that offers a modern interpretation of the 19th-century aesthetic? Can you tell us about what inspires you?
With Soporose, I wanted to create a sense of aesthetics that is timeless. It became a harmony of conflicting things that inspire me. By making a contemporary interpretation of nostalgic forms, I designed my first collection that blends the glory of the past and the simplicity of the present.
How would you define today’s fashion sense?
Today, fashion offers a wide selection that caters to almost everyone, but I believe it still lacks individualization and originality.
What does luxury mean for you?
For me, luxury is everything that makes me feel special.
