Combining its academic content with the real life, Istanbul Moda Academy (IMA) is an exclusive fashion training institution and maintains the theoretical infrastructure of the training programs and applied industry projects with the support it receives from the sector. IMA-graduate, high talented designers Engin Ekinci, Ezgi Karayel and Mehmet Demir established their own brand KARMA. Since then they continue to showcase their independent fashion sense.
2017-2018 Fashion Design and Technology License and 2018-2019 Master Class: Fashion Design and Management graduate Engin Ekinci presents ‘Chained’, a collection that speaks of personal boundaries and the psychological headspace one faces during times of change. This collection also explores, within its forms, the duality between the visible and the invisible which occurs in the human mind when exposed to volatile emotions alongside the breakdown of trains of thought. The main stylistic choice which represents the everchanging emotional states is the depiction of a shawl flowing in the wind. Ekinci also considers the transmission between mental states in the shirt and coat collars’ tunnel like construction which allows the traversing of accessories with a distinctive technique. Another highlight of the show are the holes in the bags which allow the arm to pass through, creating an original silhouette.
2018-2019 Fashion Design and Technology License Course graduate Ezgi Karayel presents ‘A Piece of Work’, a collection which explores the defiled, broken and excessive aspects of herself and the reflections of these within her as a form of personal flaws. Alongside these personal themes, in her collection, Karayel also investigates and questions the relationship between arts and design.
2019-2020 Master Class: Fashion Design and Management course graduate Mehmet Demir presents ‘Awakening’, a collection which is based on the inspiration the designer’s life journey and mental awareness has brought upon him. The main focal point is yoga which here is translated into pieces that the consumer can utilise in their daily lives, casual street wear, workplace as well as many other versatile environments. To create this versatility, Demir adopts the use of highly functional and technological fabrics, merging them with his unique print designs, bringing more nostalgic pieces into the future. One can see the booties of an 85 year old grandmother from the shores of the Black Sea be transformed into sports shoes in Demir’s unconventional collection.
