Is Dice Kayek couture worth it?+
Dice Kayek is a respected Paris-based high fashion house with serious institutional credibility, so a piece here is bought as wearable craft, not impulse fashion. Its couture earned the Victoria and Albert Museum's Jameel Prize, the first time a fashion project won that award, which tells you how seriously its construction and ideas are taken. For collectors of architectural, museum-grade design, it is very much worth it.
Why is Dice Kayek described as architectural fashion?+
The house's signature is translating architecture into clothing, most famously in its Istanbul Contrast collection, which drew on significant symbols of Istanbul's diverse cultural history. Critics praised how the sisters captured the lights, symbols and allure of old Constantinople in silhouette and embroidery. That sculptural, building-inspired approach is the brand's defining trait.
What is the Istanbul Contrast collection?+
Istanbul Contrast is Dice Kayek's most celebrated body of work, focused on significant symbols of Istanbul's layered cultural history. It won the Victoria and Albert Museum's third Jameel Prize in December 2013 and was exhibited there into 2014, and it later became a traveling exhibition shown at the Istanbul Modern Museum and the Amsterdam Museum. It is the collection that cemented the brand's international reputation.
Who founded Dice Kayek?+
Dice Kayek is a Paris-based high fashion brand founded in 1992 by the Turkish sisters Ece and Ayşe Ege. Ece Ege is the creative director and Ayşe Ege manages the company, a creative-and-business partnership that has defined the house from the start.
How did Dice Kayek begin?+
It started small and precise. In 1992, Esmod Paris graduate Ece Ege created a collection of fifteen white poplin shirts that caught the attention of key figures in the fashion industry. The following year, with her sister Ayşe, she expanded the white-shirt idea and presented a full women's ready-to-wear collection in Paris to critical acclaim.
Is Dice Kayek a recognised couture house?+
Yes. In 1994 Dice Kayek became a member of the French Federation of Fashion and of Ready-to-Wear of Couturiers and Fashion Designers, a key marker of standing in Paris fashion. Combined with its Jameel Prize win, that membership places it firmly among credible, established houses rather than emerging labels.
Has Ece Ege worked beyond Dice Kayek?+
She has an unusually broad résumé. In 2002 Ece Ege became Artistic Director of the Japanese fashion house Hanae Mori, and in 2004 she helped create the Turkish contemporary ready-to-wear brand Machka, serving as its creative and artistic director. She also received the 'Femme en Or' fashion award in 2003.
What awards has Dice Kayek won?+
Its highest honour is the Jameel Prize 3 from the Victoria and Albert Museum, announced in December 2013 for the Istanbul Contrast collection. Ece Ege has also been individually recognised, receiving the 'Femme en Or' award in 2003 and the 'Female Achievement Award' from the France-Euro-Mediterranean Association in 2010 for the brand's role in linking French, European and Turkish cultures.
Where is Dice Kayek from, and what cultures shape it?+
Dice Kayek is based in Paris but its identity is rooted in the dialogue between French and Turkish culture. That East-meets-West sensibility runs through its work, most vividly in Istanbul Contrast, and it was formally recognised in 2010 when Ece Ege was honoured for fostering creative and cultural links between French, European and Turkish cultures.
Who should consider buying Dice Kayek?+
It suits someone drawn to sculptural, intellectually rich clothing rather than logo-led trend pieces. The house is built around shape, heritage and craft, the kind of design that has been shown in museums rather than just on the rail. If you value architectural construction and a strong cultural narrative in what you wear, Dice Kayek is a natural fit.
