Collars vs Colors – Melisa Sabancı Tapan

Wherever you are, you carry a responsibility when you are a part of creative industries. It is to be open to continuous advancement, to find the courage to be yourself, and to be the one who opens doors to novelty with your unique touch. Different journeys that reach from fashion to art, from niche audiences to large ones, require individuals who have the courage to be themselves. This is a great teamwork, the success of managers who can be brave, an extraordinary step that falls into the minds of free spirits who have the courage to create… Whatever the story is, creating a brand indicates signs of courage, maintaining a brand indicates an understanding of the audiences, communicating a brand indicates never losing your imagination. When all of these blend seamlessly, collaborations that tell impressive stories emerge. Either a product or an experience, no matter what the story you build them on, can only exist as much as your courage and discipline. During a time when an abundance of questions about brands and creativity occupy minds, we ask our questions to some people who we believe reflect discipline and creativity in a perfect balance in business life. Although they operate in completely different industries, their courage, discipline and endless passion for innovation underpins their success stories.

DUYGU: What triggered your interest in working with creative industries?

MELİSA: Art and creativity plays a key role not only in social transformation but also in restructuring the thought systems of individuals. This has always fascinated me and led me to this field. My first source of inspiration was my family, especially my beloved grandfather Sakıp Sabancı’s passion towards art, the way he considers it a unifying force, and his vision to create social benefit. Behind my interest in creative industries lies the belief that these fields not only offer an aesthetic value but also be a dynamo of social, economic and cultural change. This belief was also influential in the establishment of Gate 27. Creating a multidisciplinary ecosystem by bringing creative individuals together, motivated me to find new and innovative solutions to social issues. On the other hand, it is noteworthy to consider this contribution from an economic perspective. According to a report by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), creative industries contribute $2.3 trillion annually to the global economy as of 2022 and create employment opportunities for millions of people.

DUYGU: What kind of a perspective does it require to keep on working as your own truth dictates while protecting the family legacy?

MELİSA: Protecting the family legacy requires a strong sense of commitment and responsibility towards your roots, while moving forward with your own truths calls for courage and vision. So
how can you transfer the values you’ve taken from the past to the present? How can you question their compatibility with the present, in the sense of both personal and collective significance? For me, this process starts with recognition. It appears to me that defining your past and the things passed on to you, considering this legacy as a guide through a conscious adaptation, creates more effective results. The adaptation of passed on values to the present, giving them form with personal traces and including them in a story fascinates me. It is a form of existence for me to implement approaches that reflect my own vision to my work, according to this approach. By this means, while continuing my family’s vision of contributing to society, I also add new angles and expansions to this vision with my own truths.

When we get back to the effort for recognition, I believe that this needs to be assessed in not only individual but also collective sense. It is actually like a hope for the communities to make conscious decisions about which values they would embrace in this volatile world order. In this sense, I consider the increasing variety of archive studies. Sakıp Sabancı Museum has annexed important archives to its collection on this journey. At the same time, conservation studies carried out with Sabancı University continue to be of great value in this sense.

DUYGU: Creating a brand or maintaining it – which one is harder?

MELİSA: I consider creating a brand the first step of a vision. However, maintaining a brand requires constant effort and progress. In this day and age transformation is much faster, consumers can access all kinds of information much more easily. Thus, they are more informed. Moreover, their expectations are not only great but also shifting. Therefore, in order for a brand to survive for many years, it is necessary for it to constantly reform and progress without losing its values. Considering all of these, I can say that maintaining a brand is harder, but not setting forth with a solid vision shortens its lifespan.

DUYGU: How can a brand break boundaries and influence the decisions of individuals?

MELİSA: A brand first needs to have a story of its own to influence the decisions of individuals. A strong brand establishes a bond with the consumer and delivers a message relevant to their values. Today, the consumer attaches as much importance to a brand’s reliability and social responsibility as its product and service quality. They show a tendency towards supporting brands that are in line with their values and are sensitive to social issues. In addition, it is important for brands to build trust and reputation, and to create loyalty by creating a community. A brand’s breaking boundaries depends on its ability to empathize and develop a cross-cultural understanding. It is easier to break boundaries if your story is powerful enough to be told anywhere in the world.

DUYGU: How important is it to be creative for a brand?

MELİSA: I believe creativity is the first and foremost factor that allows a brand to differentiate from others and survive. Brands that can offer creative solutions in every field, from product development to social responsibility projects, earn a permanent place in the mind of the consumer. I feel the same way. Creativity is an important criterion in my brand selections. I establish stronger bonds with brands whose creativity I admire. McKinsey conducted a study about this. According to the study, companies that run creative campaigns have a 67 percent higher market share than those that do not. Similarly, stocks also make a difference this way.

“It doesn’t seem easy to be original in a world where everyone is burdened by similar concerns and lives for similar dreams.But I believe that each of us has a unique inner journey.”

-Melisa Sabancı Tapan

DUYGU :What sensitivities should a brand need to watch out for in order to grow while preserving its DNA?

MELİSA In order to progress innovatively without breaking away from your roots, you need a delicate balance and a deep understanding. First of all, the core values and identity of the brand should be clearly defined, and these values should be kept at the heart of decisions at every stage. I believe that the vision and mission of a brand should be the cornerstone of all growth strategies. On the other hand, mere innovation through growth is not enough, a brand needs to strengthen the bonds with its customers and stakeholders. As a result, it is possible for a brand to grow while preserving its DNA as long as it navigates without compromising its core values, being open, and responsive to social change. In this process, you need strategic foresight, empathy and a continuous understanding of transformation.

DUYGU: How is it possible to be a trendsetter instead of following the trends?

MELİSA: Deep insight, innovation and courage are required to be a trendsetter instead of following the trends. The effort to understand human behavior is an important part of this process. The “Anticipatory Leadership” program developed by GESDA (Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator) aims to provide leaders with the ability to foresee future developments and make strategic decisions accordingly. I believe that the selection of Sabancı University as one of the five pilot centers for this program is completely in line with the efforts of leaders in Turkey to increase their expertise in this area.

At the same time, developing insights based on data analytics and drawing inspiration from different disciplines are of vital importance in this process. Based on the interdisciplinary
work done at Gate 27 and my own experience of collaborations with creative individuals, I can say that one of the keys to be a trendsetter is to get different perspectives together and pave the way for innovative ideas

DUYGU: What do you do to sustain your creativity?

MELİSA: I consider continuous learning and feeding on different perspectives important. I am curious and I take great joy from learning. Getting involved in interdisciplinary projects and working with creative individuals is a constant source of inspiration for me. In this sense, I’m very impressed by the works and production processes at Gate 27. I also very much believe in the power of nature in creative processes. With this belief, we established a campus of Gate 27 in Balıkesir. We also experience this with the works of our guests who retreat here.

DUYGU: How is it possible to remain original in a world order where everything looks alike?

MELİSA: It doesn’t seem easy to be original in a world where everyone is burdened by similar concerns and lives for similar dreams. But I believe that each of us has a unique inner journey. This journey requires a lifelong effort to discover what truly holds meaning to the individual and to continually explore one’s authentic truth.

Remaining original first requires the will and courage to step out of your comfort zone. I consider this worthwhile because originality is essential not only for self-discovery but also for making a difference.

From Based Istanbul N°44 – Confessions Issue. “World is basically a “dynamic” mess of jiggling things. You need to confess your messy parts first.” Buy your copy now!

In conversation with Melisa Sabancı Tapan

Creative Direction and Words by Duygu Bengi

Fashiıon Direction by Burak Sanuk

Photographed by Burcu Karademir

Fashiıon Editor Birce Naz Köş, Murat Şentürk

Hair by Mustafa Akgül

Make Up by Zeynep Dombaycıoğlu

Creative Team Belgin Demirhan, Melike Duman, Tunga Yankı Tan, Umutcan Öncü

Photogtaphy Assistant Furkan Irmak

Styling Assistantants Can Demirkıran, Melek Kaya, Zeynep Naz Gümrükçü

Hair Team Enes Sakızcı, Yiğithan Yılmaz

Gaffer Ömer Rauf Aksoy

Gaffer Assistants Halil Demircan, Harun Ateş

Best Boy Taner Altundaş