KIVANCI: A Brand That Speaks Without Words
IV. FASHION AS LANGUAGE
Fashion is a way to say something loud — without words. What does your brand say through clothing?
KIVANCI says: “I am here — fully, confidently, and on my own terms.”
It speaks for women who know their strength needs no explanation. Clothing carries intention, emotion, identity. It’s not about trends — it’s about truth.
Have you ever created something provocative — not to sell, but to make a statement?
Yes. Some pieces are meant to challenge, not please. I’ve broken rules on purpose — pairing bold silhouettes with delicate details. These aren’t made for window displays — they’re made for the soul. They say: “You don’t need to fit in to belong.”
Are there themes you intentionally bring into your collections?
Absolutely. Each collection is built on dualities — softness and strength, chaos and clarity, tradition and rebellion. I often explore femininity, identity, and cultural roots — through construction, color, or detail. First emotionally, then visually.
How important is it for women wearing KIVANCI to feel meaning — not just tailoring?
It’s everything. Clothes can flatter the body — but meaning touches the soul. I want every woman who wears KIVANCI to feel seen — to recognize herself in the garment. Whether it’s courage, sensuality, or quiet strength — it should touch something deeper than aesthetics.
Have your clients ever found something in your work that even surprised you?
All the time. Women have told me that wearing KIVANCI changed how they walked, spoke, carried themselves. One woman said: “I felt like myself — the me I was before the world told me who to be.” That surprised and deeply moved me.
Fashion is a way to say something loud — without words. What does your brand say through clothing?
KIVANCI says: “I am here — fully, confidently, and on my own terms.”
It speaks for women who know their strength needs no explanation. Clothing carries intention, emotion, identity. It’s not about trends — it’s about truth.
Have you ever created something provocative — not to sell, but to make a statement?
Yes. Some pieces are meant to challenge, not please. I’ve broken rules on purpose — pairing bold silhouettes with delicate details. These aren’t made for window displays — they’re made for the soul. They say: “You don’t need to fit in to belong.”
Are there themes you intentionally bring into your collections?
Absolutely. Each collection is built on dualities — softness and strength, chaos and clarity, tradition and rebellion. I often explore femininity, identity, and cultural roots — through construction, color, or detail. First emotionally, then visually.
How important is it for women wearing KIVANCI to feel meaning — not just tailoring?
It’s everything. Clothes can flatter the body — but meaning touches the soul. I want every woman who wears KIVANCI to feel seen — to recognize herself in the garment. Whether it’s courage, sensuality, or quiet strength — it should touch something deeper than aesthetics.
Have your clients ever found something in your work that even surprised you?
All the time. Women have told me that wearing KIVANCI changed how they walked, spoke, carried themselves. One woman said: “I felt like myself — the me I was before the world told me who to be.” That surprised and deeply moved me.
THE BEGINNING. How was KIVANCI born?
The name KIVANCI came to me intuitively. In Turkish, it means “pride” or “honor.” But for me, it’s a state of being — a woman who no longer apologizes. A woman whose silence is louder than words. A woman who chooses herself.
The inspiration to launch the brand came from my daughter, Ela — a little artist who creates without fear. She’s free, sensitive, bold. Through her, I remembered what it means to create without limits. My mother also inspires me. We are three generations — each shaping the brand in her own way.
THE WOMAN BEHIND THE BRAND
If KIVANCI is your inner voice woven into fabric, what does it scream the loudest?
If KIVANCI were a woman’s inner voice, it would say:
“Take up space. You don’t need permission.”
This is a brand about quiet power — not loud, not aggressive, but present. The woman who wears KIVANCI doesn’t seek attention. Yet you can’t look away.
Who were you before KIVANCI… and who are you now in your own eyes?
Before KIVANCI, I was someone with a vision and a quiet inner fire — I was creating for others, dreaming behind the scenes. Now, I live that vision out loud. I’ve become someone who creates with trust in herself and a deep sense of purpose. I no longer wait for permission — I create space.
The name KIVANCI came to me intuitively. In Turkish, it means “pride” or “honor.” But for me, it’s a state of being — a woman who no longer apologizes. A woman whose silence is louder than words. A woman who chooses herself.
The inspiration to launch the brand came from my daughter, Ela — a little artist who creates without fear. She’s free, sensitive, bold. Through her, I remembered what it means to create without limits. My mother also inspires me. We are three generations — each shaping the brand in her own way.
THE WOMAN BEHIND THE BRAND
If KIVANCI is your inner voice woven into fabric, what does it scream the loudest?
If KIVANCI were a woman’s inner voice, it would say:
“Take up space. You don’t need permission.”
This is a brand about quiet power — not loud, not aggressive, but present. The woman who wears KIVANCI doesn’t seek attention. Yet you can’t look away.
Who were you before KIVANCI… and who are you now in your own eyes?
Before KIVANCI, I was someone with a vision and a quiet inner fire — I was creating for others, dreaming behind the scenes. Now, I live that vision out loud. I’ve become someone who creates with trust in herself and a deep sense of purpose. I no longer wait for permission — I create space.
V. THE PERSONAL: SHADES OF A CREATIVE WOMAN
Your personal moment of power — is it a ritual, a state, or a feeling?
It’s the moment of creative flow — music playing, notebook open, no one asking for anything. In that moment, I’m not performing roles — I simply am. Real power is in disappearing into the process, and watching something be born from your hands.
If KIVANCI were a scent — what notes, colors, or sounds would it have?
It would smell like smoky oud and fresh jasmine — deep, complex, feminine. Visually, it’s earthy tones with golden accents — elegance rooted in strength. Sonically, it’s cinematic strings with a pulsing rhythm — like something is about to shift.
Mornings: coffee with ideas or silence with notes? And evenings?
Mornings come with coffee and thoughts — ideas start flowing before the world even wakes. It’s a quiet euphoria. Evenings are slower, more reflective. I usually unwind by drawing, writing, or listening to my daughter share her latest creation — that’s when I reconnect with my why.
What’s always in your bag? Any talismans or little rituals?
A notebook — always. My favorite pen. A scrap of fabric or ornament that inspires me. And a necklace my daughter made — it reminds me that creativity is a legacy, a language women pass down to each other.
If your life were a fashion film — what would the trailer be like?
It would begin in silence — just fabric moving in slow motion, hands sewing, a focused gaze. Then flashes of chaos: fittings, shows, motherhood, late nights. The final shot — one woman in a finished look — calm, proud, unshakable. That’s the story: creation through chaos.
What would you whisper to yourself ten years ago?
You don’t need permission. Start now. Trust your fire — it’s not random, it’s your direction. And one day, your daughter will call you an artist too.
THE FINAL QUESTION
If KIVANCI is more than a brand — if it’s a state of a woman — what state is that?
It’s the moment a woman chooses herself.
Presence without apology. Power without explanation.
It’s where elegance meets edge, and softness becomes strength.
KIVANCI isn’t just what you wear.
It’s a reminder: you are already enough.
Your personal moment of power — is it a ritual, a state, or a feeling?
It’s the moment of creative flow — music playing, notebook open, no one asking for anything. In that moment, I’m not performing roles — I simply am. Real power is in disappearing into the process, and watching something be born from your hands.
If KIVANCI were a scent — what notes, colors, or sounds would it have?
It would smell like smoky oud and fresh jasmine — deep, complex, feminine. Visually, it’s earthy tones with golden accents — elegance rooted in strength. Sonically, it’s cinematic strings with a pulsing rhythm — like something is about to shift.
Mornings: coffee with ideas or silence with notes? And evenings?
Mornings come with coffee and thoughts — ideas start flowing before the world even wakes. It’s a quiet euphoria. Evenings are slower, more reflective. I usually unwind by drawing, writing, or listening to my daughter share her latest creation — that’s when I reconnect with my why.
What’s always in your bag? Any talismans or little rituals?
A notebook — always. My favorite pen. A scrap of fabric or ornament that inspires me. And a necklace my daughter made — it reminds me that creativity is a legacy, a language women pass down to each other.
If your life were a fashion film — what would the trailer be like?
It would begin in silence — just fabric moving in slow motion, hands sewing, a focused gaze. Then flashes of chaos: fittings, shows, motherhood, late nights. The final shot — one woman in a finished look — calm, proud, unshakable. That’s the story: creation through chaos.
What would you whisper to yourself ten years ago?
You don’t need permission. Start now. Trust your fire — it’s not random, it’s your direction. And one day, your daughter will call you an artist too.
THE FINAL QUESTION
If KIVANCI is more than a brand — if it’s a state of a woman — what state is that?
It’s the moment a woman chooses herself.
Presence without apology. Power without explanation.
It’s where elegance meets edge, and softness becomes strength.
KIVANCI isn’t just what you wear.
It’s a reminder: you are already enough.
Do you feel the brand is growing with you — or does it sometimes run ahead?
Both. Sometimes KIVANCI grows step by step, like a steady companion. Other times, it rushes ahead, pulling me into rooms I don’t yet feel ready for… until I realize I am. It keeps me on my toes — and reminds me I was built for change.
You have a distinct style — in clothing, in speech, in energy. Do you shape it, or does it find you?
It finds me. I don’t chase style — I listen to it. My aesthetic is intuitive, emotional. It’s shaped by my experiences, longings, and the things I want to say without words. My energy comes from within, but it’s molded by the women around me — especially my daughter, who constantly reminds me of the power of pure creation.
Is your design led more by intuition or construction? Is there more of the world in you — or you in the world?
Intuition always comes first. I create from feeling — from emotional impulse, from energy that needs to be expressed. Construction gives shape to that intuition. It’s definitely the world within me speaking — and fashion is how I speak to the world.
III. CODES & INSPIRATION
What internal spark — like the ignition of an engine — starts the creative process?
Always emotion. Sometimes it’s tension, sometimes joy, sometimes quiet resistance — but always a deep feeling that needs to come out. That emotion is the first thread. I simply follow it.
What kind of woman do you see in KIVANCI pieces? What will she never say, but always show?
She’s fearless, but not loud. She doesn’t seek approval — she just is. She’ll never say “look at me,” but you look anyway. She carries stories, mystery, and power — in every move, word, and image. Her silence is eloquent. So is her presence.
What moments in life spark your creativity? When are ideas born?
When something touches me deeply — my daughter painting beside me, a line of poetry, a strong woman on the street, even heartbreak. Inspiration comes in the quiet gaps, when I’m still enough to hear it. I’ve learned to listen to those moments and catch them before they vanish.
Are there visual codes, fabrics, colors, or even stitches that have become KIVANCI’s signature?
Yes — sharp, tailored silhouettes that still carry emotion. Dramatic drapes. Unexpected textures. I love contrasts: softness in shape, strength in delicacy. Earthy tones with bold accents. Every stitch is intentional — it carries not just fabric, but meaning.
Both. Sometimes KIVANCI grows step by step, like a steady companion. Other times, it rushes ahead, pulling me into rooms I don’t yet feel ready for… until I realize I am. It keeps me on my toes — and reminds me I was built for change.
You have a distinct style — in clothing, in speech, in energy. Do you shape it, or does it find you?
It finds me. I don’t chase style — I listen to it. My aesthetic is intuitive, emotional. It’s shaped by my experiences, longings, and the things I want to say without words. My energy comes from within, but it’s molded by the women around me — especially my daughter, who constantly reminds me of the power of pure creation.
Is your design led more by intuition or construction? Is there more of the world in you — or you in the world?
Intuition always comes first. I create from feeling — from emotional impulse, from energy that needs to be expressed. Construction gives shape to that intuition. It’s definitely the world within me speaking — and fashion is how I speak to the world.
III. CODES & INSPIRATION
What internal spark — like the ignition of an engine — starts the creative process?
Always emotion. Sometimes it’s tension, sometimes joy, sometimes quiet resistance — but always a deep feeling that needs to come out. That emotion is the first thread. I simply follow it.
What kind of woman do you see in KIVANCI pieces? What will she never say, but always show?
She’s fearless, but not loud. She doesn’t seek approval — she just is. She’ll never say “look at me,” but you look anyway. She carries stories, mystery, and power — in every move, word, and image. Her silence is eloquent. So is her presence.
What moments in life spark your creativity? When are ideas born?
When something touches me deeply — my daughter painting beside me, a line of poetry, a strong woman on the street, even heartbreak. Inspiration comes in the quiet gaps, when I’m still enough to hear it. I’ve learned to listen to those moments and catch them before they vanish.
Are there visual codes, fabrics, colors, or even stitches that have become KIVANCI’s signature?
Yes — sharp, tailored silhouettes that still carry emotion. Dramatic drapes. Unexpected textures. I love contrasts: softness in shape, strength in delicacy. Earthy tones with bold accents. Every stitch is intentional — it carries not just fabric, but meaning.
In this intimate interview, designer and founder of KIVANCI, Leen Gundogdu, shares the story behind her brand, the philosophy that guides her, the role of intuition in her designs, and the inspiration she draws from women, silence, and motherhood. This is a deep, honest conversation about fashion’s quiet voice — one that speaks louder than words.
