Fashion is always more than just clothing, especially when it conveys attitude and emotions. This is how Sezgin Kivrim, the creative director of the Berlin-based brand Sezgin, which he runs together with his good friend Angelina Schwarzkopf, feels. So it’s no surprise when he recounts how delighted he was by a comment from a Japanese buyer who said, “I feel what you want to express with your collection.”
And that is: togetherness, exchange, joy. The inspiration for his new collection, titled “When the sun hasn’t reached us yet,” came from a family evening in Kurdistan. His family had planned to go out, but a change in the weather forced them to stay home. So they spontaneously ate, sang, and danced at home, and the family, who had initially dressed up, gradually changed back into comfortable clothes.
“It’s a mix of more elegant and comfortable pieces,” said Kivrim of his new lineup. For example, there’s a pair of wide-legged, knee-length, dark trousers with a large red knit sweater featuring the brand’s blue logo, decoratively placed throughout.
Knitwear is definitely one of Sezgin’s strengths, as seen in a small, short-sleeved vest in a light pink shade, woven with horizontal red, blue, and white threads—a lovingly crafted piece that can carry an entire look. Kivrim pairs it on the model with a white T-shirt featuring a red embroidered heart bearing the words “Her Bijî,” which can be loosely translated as “Viva Kurdistan.” He completes the look with wide-legged, lightweight, and sheer black mesh trousers, illustrating the balancing act the label is currently attempting: cultural references translated into modern fabrics and thus into a contemporary aesthetic.
Sezgin’s breakthrough in the German fashion scene came with a striking oversized crocheted sweater featuring the Kurdish flag. It’s currently receiving renewed attention due to the political situation of the Kurds, particularly in Rojava. While the flag is no longer a central element in his current collection, Kivrim incorporates the sun, a culturally significant symbol that recurs in his designs.
He is deeply engaged with the balance between culture and fashion, likely because balance has always been a major topic in his life. Kivrim belongs to the Kurdish diaspora in Germany; he grew up in Ulm, a small town in southern Germany. For a long time, he tried to be as “German as possible”; for example, his parents raised him without teaching him Kurdish. It’s an identity conflict that many people from all diasporas know all too well. He translates his personal balancing act intuitively yet skillfully into fashion.
Kivrim presented 10 looks at a show in Berlin. One look picks up on the material of the aforementioned trousers: a slip dress made from black, sheer fabric that can also be worn as a tunic over the trousers. Another mix-and-match piece that is among Kivrim’s favorites is a light, powder-colored mesh top with long, gathered sleeves. Outlines of large suns are embroidered on it in red thread. The model wears a white mini dress underneath. New to this collection is a floral print fabric made from family deadstock. The inspiration for using a floral pattern comes from her grandmother, who liked to wear clothes with a similar pattern at home in Kurdistan. Kivrim successfully brings these elements into the present day in Berlin with modern silhouettes, such as rather slim-fitting, high-waisted trousers with ruching.
The presentation cleverly illustrated the cultural connections: Three women braid each other’s hair, symbolizing identity, dignity, and resistance. Other models eat sunflower seeds together, while others drink tea. Kivrim’s aim is to convey an understanding of Kurdish habits and culture for an audience which is not connected to it that well.
His goal is to create a collection that can be combined across seasons, which he achieves, for example, through carry-over pieces that differ only in material. His commitment to size diversity also influences the design; many items are only available in two sizes, but they are highly adaptable thanks to belts and the ability to gather fabric. This is not only practical but also a further nod to his culture: “We always lent and passed on a lot of clothes to each other. What didn’t fit was simply made to fit,” he explains. He plans to continue this approach in his next collection, so that in the end, a very large, cohesive collection can be created where everything can be worn with everything else. Growing together, supporting each other—yes, the Japanese buyer is right: You can feel a deeply empathetic approach to fashion in these carefully considered pieces and this is why it resonates with people, no matter where they are from.
