The characteristic deep blue tone of Rinse jeans blends into M Lisa’s free-spirited style.

A style does not have to have a single character. Sometimes feminine, sometimes masculine; sometimes full of light, sometimes as carefree as a rockstar. For M Lisa, getting dressed is like music, a space where she can move freely between different characters and rediscover herself. New personas that emerge with her changing moods, passing obsessions, and stage costumes reveal the constantly evolving language of her style.

But within this change, timelessness always finds its place. Although she follows freedom every step of the way, for M Lisa, the strongest form of expression does not come from endless options, but from finding a new path of her own within boundaries.

Now, she knows her color.

DUYGU How does your stage style shape the visual world and energy of your performances? What role does denim play in this story?
M LISA Sometimes my stage looks are feminine, sometimes masculine, sometimes full of sparkle, and sometimes like a rebellious rockstar in leather. What I wear has a big influence on my stage persona that day, and I immediately take on the character that the costume brings out in me. Denim also finds its place in this story in different patterns, forms, and colors. I recently wore a bright blue two-piece set in İzmir, with every detail made from denim fabric.

DUYGU How does the process of rediscovering yourself reflect in your wardrobe and your choice of jeans?
M LISA Some things I used to love wearing don’t feel as good anymore. I think that’s the clearest way I notice it. I’ve always been someone who can like very different things, so I don’t really find the new things I like and wear strange. I definitely have jeans that I become obsessed with for a certain period of time.

DUYGU How does the timeless style of jeans play a role in expressing your individual sense of style?
M LISA I care a lot about keeping the sound of my music timeless. So, when it comes to style, I like the idea that a look I wear still feels relevant when I look back at it 10 years later. I don’t think wearing a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt is something that will ever go out of style.

“I believe trends always come and go in cycles, renewing themselves in their own way. But some designs and ideas are timeless. No matter what era you look at them in, they look beautiful and cool.”
– M Lisa

DUYGU When choosing a pair of jeans, which is most important: comfort, appearance, or self-expression
M LISA Comfort and appearance, definitely. Because denim, by nature, is a piece with a strong character of its own.

DUYGU What do you think is behind the strong influence of ’90s fashion on the fashion world? What do you think still makes this era relevant and inspiring today?
M LISA I believe trends always come and go in cycles, renewing themselves in their own way. But some designs and ideas are timeless. No matter what era you look at them in, they look beautiful and cool.

DUYGU Creativity is often associated with unlimited freedom. Do you think people come up with their most original ideas when they are free, or when they are looking for solutions within certain boundaries?
M LISA I definitely think boundaries trigger creativity. When you are completely free, ideas don’t just come to you out of nowhere, and even if they do, it is harder to find the motivation to bring them to life. At least, that’s how I am.

Presented by Based Istanbul x Mavi

Features M Lisa

Creative Direction & Words by Duygu Bengi

Directed by Yağız Yeşilkaya

Photographed by Burcu Karademir

Fashion Editor Umut Sımsıkı

DOP Adem Ustaoğlu

Hair by Mustafa Akgül

Make-up by Batuhan Sara

Creative Agency BI Creative

Creative Team Ali Aydın Ustaoğlu, Neşe Sera Özdemir

Gaffer Okan Ataş

Photography Assistant Furkan Irmak

Camera Assistant Şeref İhtiyar, Fatih Duman

Styling Assistant Naz Paksoy, Zeynep Koçman

Hair Assistants Yunus Dever, Burak Kuzgun

Make Up Assistant Emirhan Sara

Best Boy Arif Bilbay

Lighting Assistants Ali Rıza Çalışkan, Anıl Sever

Bi Creative Studio