Founder & Creative Director of Figure

Ilke is the founder of Figure, a hand-woven Turkish rug brand. It is very special for me to feature her on the website as another Turkish woman and as my first interview from my hometown. While creating Figure, Ilke dedicated herself to curate a collection with the combination of traditional techniques and modern design. Her rugs are all handmade by Anatolian artisan women, each design inspired by true Turkish motifs, and contributing to creating workforce for females. I believe that the the power of women supporting women is like no other, and am so excited to share her story with you. You can shop her beautiful designs through her website and use code NORMAL15 to get 15% off at checkout for our readers. You can find her on @ilkebeyaz and @figure.ist - Enjoy!

Hi Ilke! This is my first interview from my hometown, so it is really special for me. Let’s start with yourself, who are you and what do you do?

Hey everyone!

I must say that this is very special for me too. I am thrilled to be part of this creative platform and to share my story with you!

To sum up briefly, I’m a 36 years old Creative Director and rug designer, born and raised in Istanbul.Right after graduating with a Sociology degree at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, I knew that I wanted to be in a creative environment, mostly in the fashion industry and started as an assistant fashion editor at Elle Magazine.

Then I worked as a stylist for TV commercials and music videos. It was really my dream job to create wardrobes for various characters in scripts and build up their story with great directors and producers.

With the rise of digital marketing and social media, I was fortunate enough to work as Project Manager of Vogue and GQ Turkey for the last 5 years. Creating multi-purpose content and strategies for both global and local brands fed my hunger for creativity and triggered my urge to create my own brand.

After the pandemic hit, I realized that this was the right time to quit my job and bring Figure to life.

Let’s talk about Figure. How did it all start, what were the initial inspirations and process of creating your own brand?

Over the years, I always played a role in the creative process of brands as part of my job. I’ve always dreamed of having my own brand where I can reflect my inspirations and what I have learned from the industry.
The story is, right before the pandemic I moved into my own house and found myself in the search for the perfect rug. I was actually a bit surprised not to find what I had in mind. I knew that Turkey is famous for its beautiful handmade rugs but they were just not my style. I was looking for the perfect combination of contemporary and authentique.
Then I started to do some sketches and create mood boards for my own design. But I honestly didn't know if they were even feasible.
As I researched, I realized that with automation, the tradition of hand-woven rugs -one of the most important heritages of Anatolia- was about to get lost.I visited some Aegean villages to meet weavers, I told them about my dreams and showed my designs.

At first they were not comfortable because my designs were new to them, unlike anything they had woven before.After producing many samples, finally we were both happy with the results. That moment I felt that ı’ve found my goal in life.

Not only was I going to realize my dream, but I was also going to contribute to female employment while working towards preventing an amazing heritage from getting lost. I couldn’t be happier and prouder.

As a Turkish, I always try to communicate our culture with my followers. I truly appreciate and admire that you work with true Anatolian women to create these handwoven rugs, can you walk us through your production process a bit?

Turkish handmade rug tradition is really a treasure heritage that needs to be enlightened. It’s a blessing for me to meet some of these lovely craftswomen.

The more I got into this world of amazing craftsmanship, the more I thought that I should be true to my roots. So, I built my designs around the kilim symbols that have been used in Anatolia for centuries.

They say that in ancient times, through the looms, rug weaving women used to express their intimate feelings and reflect the local traditions of the place they lived in. I am very blessed that these women who have established such a strong bond with what they weave, now embrace my designs.

It is possible to find flaws in our patterns today. We call them uniqueness, not flaws, because every piece that comes out of the loom is the creation of that person and is specially woven for its owner. We love these imperfections because the final product is made by human hands, not machines!

You also just launched the new collection called “Universe”, congratulations! What were your inspirations behind these designs?

Thank you!

I am trying to reinterpret the motifs that have been used for centuries in order to sustain Anatolian culture through Figure designs. In the Universe collection I’ve selected the star motif which has deep meanings such as enlightenment, joy and good luck…

Through my research, I stumbled upon a book by Camille Flammarion called ‘Les Merveilles Celeste’ (1875). The book basically takes you to a journey about Astronomy while exploring the depths of the universe.I wanted to build a bridge of emotions between two cultures and decided to create a blend of Anatolian star motifs with this amazing book.

My goal was to focus on high-quality, uniquely designed hand-made products with special meanings and history behind.

What about your own space? What are your design principles and some choices for your home?

I can say that I mostly avoid excessive decoration in my own house. I prefer minimalistic art touches in larger areas where soft colors are spread throughout the interior. I love local artists and support them as much as I can by investing their pieces.

A comfortable chair surrounded by green plants is a must. And obviously a designer rug, that elevates the interior with eye-catchers, without ever losing sight of the balance between subtlety and decisiveness, is an essential part of my minimalist style.

Also, would you share some of your favorite places in Istanbul to go for furniture hunting, thrifting or even just for inspiration?

Treasure hunting in Çukurcuma is always a good idea.
Dank has always been a good spot when it comes to finding second-hand designer goods.
Also, I have an eye on every timeless piece that House of Junk collects from all over the world.
When you are in town, you should definitely check the Instagram feeds of ‘The Sage Shop’ and ‘Shop Etajer’ who have a great selection of design objects.

Lastly, are there any future projects / ideas for Figure that you would like to share with us :) ?

I am currently working on an exciting upcycling project with a global brand. Apart from that, I meet with artists from different disciplines to bring collab ideas to life.

Most importantly, I will pursue my dream of creating more job opportunities for women by making this incredible craftsmanship more visible and introducing our heritage abroad.

Ilke Beyaz