Yasemin Eke & Serhat Şengül, Style Consultants

How did you two meet?

Yasemin: Through mutual friends. But we work in a small industry and do similar works. So I think we’d meet sooner or later.

Serhat: I think what’s interesting is not how we met but how we got along so easily. The fact that we were doing similar works and that we approach fashion with a different perspective thanks to our experience may have brought us closer.

Who was braver when you decided to open your own showroom?

Yasemin: Serhat. (laughs) Due to my experience in the corporate world, I’m more worried and careful; I’d like to know I’m safe before taking a step. I don’t claim that I know everything but before Rack, I had a 3-year showroom experience. It’d also be an advantage that we were working as styling consultants for a long time. So, I believed in this new concept that had been in our minds for some time.

Serhat: Yes, I’m Rack’s Polyanna. (laughs) I’m the one that cheers “Go, Yasemin, we can do this!” when we’re doing something new.

Is the concept of showroom still new to brands?

Serhat: I used to work at a similar showroom. I remember being surprised at how greatly brands benefited from such a niche project. If brands could only see it, they wouldn’t leave a showroom. After all, this is a time when everyone follows each other and what one wears is a huge matter of curiosity. It’s the business of showrooms to present the products to the right people.

How do you choose which brands to represent?

Yasemin: It’s kind of mutual. We decide to work with them if we can sit around a table and speak the same language. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. We try to be as disciplined as possible in an industry with no strict rules. We work better with brands or designers that have this discipline.

How has working as a team of two changed Yasemin/Serhat?

Yasemin: I try to be less of a risk calculator. (laughs) How am I doing, Serhat? Actually, it’s been very useful for me but sometimes I can feel it slowing me down. I’ve always worked on my own as a styling consultant. I was taking all the risk and it was me who decided how much risk to take. Now we’re sharing the burden, which is a huge advantage.

Serhat: I think you’ve come a great distance in terms of taking risks. (laughs) I’ve founded two different companies before so I’m more or less experienced.