Designer Mert Özyürekliler to showcase migration-themed collection in Australia

Cypriot Turkish fashion designer Mert Özyürekliler, founder of the brand Shirvanna, is preparing to showcase a new collection centered on the theme of migration. He will present 10 designs from this collection at the Fabrics of Modern Australia (FOMA) event in Sydney this November.

Özyürekliler plans to introduce the full collection during his first fashion show in Cyprus in December. His work often incorporates traditional Cypriot techniques, such as Lapta lace and Lefkara embroidery, reinterpreted through contemporary design. His creative journey includes fine arts education at the University for the Creative Arts in the United Kingdom and previous collections like ‘Mandıra’ that reached Milan.

Describing his work as an expression of identity, Özyürekliler utilizes family heirlooms, old tablecloths, and fabrics to tell stories of displacement and the longing to return home.