Accepting the presence of fear. That is exactly what makes Ece, “Ece Sükan.” She is one of the most inspiring figures in Turkey’s creative industries. When we decided to make a magazine in 2015, when we shot our very first cover in 2018, and now, as we bring the Brave Monologues story to life… it is impossible to imagine this journey without her.

Even when she isn’t physically with us, her presence is always there. “…staying true to yourself without waiting for everyone to be on the same page with you.” This is what lies at the core of Ece’s inspiring career. Because in moments where most people hesitate, those who still choose to listen to their inner voice are the ones who become iconic. And today, we stand face to face with exactly that kind of persona.

DUYGU In your own creative journey, what does it mean to be brave?

ECE For me, bravery means answering life again and again with the instincts of your boundless soul — no matter how many times you fall, get tired, or face disappointment on your path. Sometimes it means staying true to yourself without waiting for everyone to be on the same page with you. It’s touching your inner voice, and allowing what is born from it to echo in the world — despite the fear of being judged, and despite the system the Matrix imposes on us.

DUYGU Can you share a moment when you created something with no rules, no apologies. One that stuck with you?

ECE Creativity, to me, is a manifesto of freedom. Naturally, our careers and professional environments constantly ask us to fit into certain boxes and follow set formulas. But structurally and by character, I’ve insisted on following the vision I’ve built by listening to my soul — and in that sense, I’ve found ways to create my own luck along the journey.

Like any choice, this path came with a price. Yet in the end, I’ve had — and still have — the chance to work on projects that reflect that accumulation and trust the language I’ve built. If I had to choose a specific period, I would say the early years of my editorial career. Creating a photoshoot back then — even with the magazine’s expectations — was an incredibly liberating and inspiring process for me.

DUYGU How has fear — or the absence of it — shaped the way you express yourself?

ECE What I was seeking was never fearlessness. It was being able to take a step toward what I imagined, even when I was terrified. And that very mindset is what shaped the layers and richness in the way I express myself today. Of course, it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. In life, I have never had any guarantees — none of us really do — yet despite the fear, I chose to stay on my own path, aligned with my soul. And that is what made me who I am.

**ECE** wears a jean and jacket by Givenchy, Beymen, shirt by Cos, gloves by Pakra, tie by Boss and shoes by Hermes. Earrings by Swarovski, and an earcuff by Saudade Jewelry.

DUYGU What’s one risky decision you made for your art that ended up defining your creative voice?

ECE Refusing to define myself through a single discipline was one of the riskiest choices I made — but it also became the decision that shaped me. Acting, fashion, journalism, television, curating… for me, they are all different languages of one single narrative. Despite the system’s pressure to “belong to one identity and fit into one box,” I chose to live them all at once. That risk eventually became my language. Now, versatility itself is my voice.

DUYGU If your creative work could deliver one Brave Monologue to the world, what would it say?

ECE “Exit the Matrix.” Your truth begins where your soul and your choices finally align. We are here for one reason: to remember ourselves — and to return to that wholeness with grace.

DUYGU When the world goes quiet, what does your courage tell you?

ECE “Listen to yourself and continue.” To be able to inspire even one person, to hold the world’s frequency at a higher consciousness and help elevate it — and to contribute, even by a single drop, to the collective and the collective mind.

DUYGU When you’re standing at the edge of the unknown, what pushes you forward?

ECE Life has taught me, quite thoroughly, how to dance with the unknown. And it didn’t happen because I was overflowing with confidence or self-love — not at all. On the contrary, it happened through insecurity, inner struggle, and, somehow, choosing to stay in the flow. At the edge of uncertainty, the force that pushes me forward is the same force that lives within all of us: the voice of our essence.

DUYGU Do you consider yourself brave when it comes to life?

ECE Yes, I definitely consider myself brave. Even in moments filled with fear and uncertainty, I’m able to stay connected to my inner voice — to remain in the flow and take a step forward, no matter how difficult it feels in that moment. And because, within this system, I choose to remain myself every single time…

DUYGU What does creativity mean to you?

ECE Creativity is the most honest and genuine way of expressing yourself — of feeling your own existence. It’s like the inner need for something to move outward. And making space for that impulse, for me, is what it means to stay connected to life.

“Hiçbir zaman korkusuzluk değildi zaten aradığım. Hayal ettiğin “What I was seeking was never fearlessness. It was being able to take a step toward what I imagined, even when I was terrified. And that very mindset is what shaped the layers and richness in the way I express myself today. Of course, it wasn’t as easy as it sounds.”

-Ece Sükan

DUYGU How does pushing boundaries manifest in your reality?

ECE Pushing boundaries is something you develop entirely with yourself — not against others. Because change and transformation happen from the inside out, even shifting the system can only happen this way: by creating a new possibility in the quantum field.

DUYGU We all go through times when we are a bit hard on ourselves. When and how did you stop apologizing for yourself and your choices?

ECE I’m not sure this process ever truly ends on the journey of life. But one thing is certain: over time, with experience and most importantly with awareness, you move through those phases more quickly, more lightly. There is no ideal state where you never fall or never feel low; what changes is your ability to feel it all and still return to your center with more ease. For example, during my morning phone calls with my closest friend, whenever one of us starts spiraling or complaining, the other immediately says, “switch it, switch it.” It’s like a code — a conscious choice to shift the state and get out of it faster.

FROM BASED ISTANBUL N45 10TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE: BRAVE MONOLOGUES

Buy your copy now!

Cover Guest Ece Sükan
Creative Direction & Words by Duygu Bengi
Photography by Abdullah Yazıc
Styled by Emre Köklüçınar
Head of Talent Hair and Makeup Önder Tiryaki
Creative Group Head Yağız Yeşilkaya
Producer Tunga Yankı Tan
Creative Production by BI Creative
Special Thanks to Cansu Sıtacı
Creative Team Duru Ustaoğlu, Kerem Acar
Hair Team Batuhan Sancar, Enes Sakızcı, Mustafa Akgül
Make-Up Team Doğukan Tuncer, Esra Poyraz, Hazar Baştürk
Gaffer Onur Karaca
Photography Assistants Hakan Diner, Hamza Kazım Esen
Styling Assistants Elif Akpunar, Şimal Özyiğit
Editorial Brews by Starbucks Türkiye
Bites by Focamia

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