Sevil Ellison
Kaynas

FASHION DESIGNER / STYLIST

About

ABOUT ME

GROWING UP IN THE 80'S

My Dad owned his own store in Istanbul, making hand-made leather shoes. Unfortunately times were tough and he decided to follow his brothers footsteps who were already in Holland, and my Dad moved in 1975. My Mum never studied, but was very handy and started to work as a seamstress. If it wasn’t a hand-me-down from my older sister, then it would have been handmade by my mum. Sewing, knitting, you name it, my mum could make it.

I consider myself lucky, born in the 80’s, and growing up in The Netherlands. I was a very active child, a tomboy, always wearing tights, big sweaters, wearing sneakers, playing outside, on my bike, enjoy living in a small town nearby Amsterdam. My Mum hated my tomboy look and would make dresses for me. (see picture above in my dress my mum made for my birthday at McDonalds) My Dad understood my style more than my Mum, and would always find me 2nd hand leather boots, or leather jackets.

Listening to Wham, Prince, Madonna, Paula Abdul and HipHop'ing to MC Hammer and Salt-N-Pepa. My biggest idol was Madonna. I remember I always wanted to look just like her. You remember the music video to “Vogue”. You remember her lace top?? Yes that lace top. Yes with her boobs showing. Yes, I wanted that!

I convinced my mum to make one for me, we went to the market to buy some black lace. I knew exactly what the top had to look like, I had the poster hanging above my bed. You understand that top was everything I wanted. I had the outfit ready to wear in my head: Madonna's Vogue lace top, shinny disco pink tights, with my precious LA Gear sneakers with the pink laces. But my mum was too smart, yes she knew exactly what I wanted, but cunningly gave it a black nylon lining. A black, opaque nylon lining.. I was devastated…and I was only 9 years old…

"find out who you are and do it on purpose"

-Dolly Parton-

After High School I studied Beauty, I was 16 years young and didn't know what I wanted to become... It was a 3 year college course with an Internship, and I hated it. The internship made me realise I didn't want to give people massages, or do their make up, nor make coffees for them. What I did realise was that I was creative! I liked being asked what colour lipstick to wear, with which colour eyeshadow, because I liked analysing colour. I loved being creative with it, but still didn't like applying it on the clients. So I looked into creative schools. I knew I liked colours, I knew I liked clothes, I knew I loved being creative. Fashion College could be it!! It was a 4 years learning progress, with a year Internship, which I did at Nike in the Netherlands. It was a 1 year duration, 5 days a week, hard work. Copy and pasting illustrations of products in catalogues, changing, adding annotations. But oh how I loved being an "Intern Design Assistant". Between the copying and pasting work, I came up with an original design: A fold up beach towel / tote bag, that went into production.

original drawings, sorry about the stains :)

final product

You can imagine how happy and proud I was, leaving a good impression.

I still had 1 year College left, and after my graduation at Fashion College I started to work for other well known brands in The Netherlands: Miss Sixty, G-Star, and another stint Nike. I always found myself dressing in the brands I was working for. I think this has definitely helped develop my own style, I've played with a lot of different lifestyles. Studying Beauty school, I only wore black and greys, accidentally looking like Mariah Carey, with my too much make-up, cropped tops with denim jeans waistband ripped off. Not a good look..

I never really followed the trends my friends were wearing. But always wore what I liked. Now I am all "grown up" have got 2 young boys, lived 9 years in the UK, and just moved back to The Netherlands end 2020. I still wear what I like. I quite often hear I look different, or people say they like what I am wearing, but only on me :) While living in the UK, I have worked as Freelance Sportswear Designer, worked for a PR Agency helping with the London Fashion Weeks, and also been a wardrobe assistant for a very good friend of mine who's a Costume Designer for mainstream TV.

I decided to take a course in Personal Styling as I always love helping people choose outfits, do online shopping for them, or even better, go shopping with them. I also thought that personal styling would compliment my expertise in apparel design, since I love seeing people wearing my creations and feeling good about themselves.

Since we live in The Netherlands (again), I'm working as a Freelancer. Pls look around and see my latest projects, and I would love to hear from you if I can help you, or your brand, or just realising your dreams in Fashion, I'll gladly help.

See you soon x