Interview with Melike Kapıcıoglu
As a jewelry designer I like to create pieces with soul and an innate understanding of timeless and beautiful design.
Designer Interview
21 April 2016
Everything started with one single question. One single question I was asked at the atelier where I went for the ring that I drew and wanted to get made. “Would you like to make your own ring?” This was how my journey with the workbench started in 2007. My passion and curiosity for jewelry took me to an endless adventure.
Attending training events on Jewelry Design, Jewelry-Making Techniques, Design Culture and Management, my journey took me from Istanbul to London. I continued my trainings on jewelry design and gems at GIA and also Hatton Garden in London. The fact that I had the opportunity to work with many masters from various cultures and with several techniques and materials helped me a great deal in designing what I thought of and imagined as they are without limiting myself and filtering my ideas out and in transforming them into concrete objects from mere drawings. Briefly, my journey is an endless one in which I both learn and attempt to learn new things each and every day.
Attending training events on Jewelry Design, Jewelry-Making Techniques, Design Culture and Management, my journey took me from Istanbul to London. I continued my trainings on jewelry design and gems at GIA and also Hatton Garden in London. The fact that I had the opportunity to work with many masters from various cultures and with several techniques and materials helped me a great deal in designing what I thought of and imagined as they are without limiting myself and filtering my ideas out and in transforming them into concrete objects from mere drawings. Briefly, my journey is an endless one in which I both learn and attempt to learn new things each and every day.
I founded Melie in 2012 following the training I received with the goal of establishing the brand since I began my workbench training in 2007. I personally took part in the creation of the brand to make sure that the brand’s visual look, delivery style, designs, and stories are consistent. My motivation behind creating a design that speaks to emotions, senses, and memories is to demonstrate to my clients that the jewelry they have goes beyond an ornamental object; it is a treasure that tells their stories without any need for words, and something they can leave behind for the future. We have a showroom in Nisantasi one of the hip shopping area in Istanbul.
Design is like a story without words, and designer, a storyteller... A feeling, thought, or idea you want to get across, a recollection, or a person and the emotions he or she stirs in you, come together in a drawing on paper, then to be transformed into a tangible reality. Design is your reflection, and you are elated when this reflection reaches and is appreciated by people with a similar story to yours.
I like to design romantic, timeless, delicate and elegant designs All creations of Melie are inspired by the intense emotions of epic romances. As a symbol of sophistication and passion, my designs claim the sparkle and enchantment of true love.
I usually incorporate exquisite contemporary style with a feminine touch. Each one of my pieces has a unique and meaningful story behind.
I usually incorporate exquisite contemporary style with a feminine touch. Each one of my pieces has a unique and meaningful story behind.
My most favourite design is the “Swans in Love” perfume pendant. Inspired by a book written in 1027 that tells the story of a love chain that is hung on the neck and never taken off until death, the perfume necklace expresses the unity of two souls, just as the book describes. Connected to each other with an invisible love chain, the female and male swans symbolize eternal love. Swans also represent a divine beauty through mesmerizing and poetic grace that is displayed only for the partner they choose. For me this pendant reflects true love and true love is blind to anything worldly and to appearances, which can be deceiving. Only feelings and emotions attach them.
My first design was my Meran Pendant. I am very interested in snakes. for me they are the most spiritual creatures in the world. Meran, which means snake symbolizes a passionate love… The snake embellished with diamonds, the symbol of eternal love, and rubies, the gem of passion, embraces this special perfume bottle as love embracing our soul.
My favorite materials are precious and natural materials like colored gems, pearls, mother of pearls, horns.
They are all special gifts from mother nature and they spring to life in jewelry.
They are all special gifts from mother nature and they spring to life in jewelry.
Sometimes a simple line in a book or in a poem or a simple legend from ancient times or a masterpiece reflects my emotions and suddenly those emotions evokes creativity and I just start designing a piece.
For me the ease of the jewelry is important for me. I usually focus on the comfort and facility of the piece.
A design piece also has to be user friendly.
A design piece also has to be user friendly.
Mostly my designs are inspired by the intense emotions of epic romances. Sophistication and passion are the two main feelings of my pieces. I feel love, romance, elegance and sophistication and I'm reflecting the sparkle and enchantment of true love.
I become very happy. I feel like I reflect a part of me onto somene I even don't know.
If the design has a story behind it becomes timeless then for me It is successful.
Craftmanship, the harmony of the materials, functionality and originality are all important. If a design has all these items then it is successful.
Social responsibility is very important for a designer. A designer should be sensitive about environment and humanity. And he/she tries to create awareness. For example I was inspired by the Braille alphabet and tried to add a deeper meaning to jewelry. The word "Love" written in Braille alphabet reflects that true love is not seen with our eyes but felt deep within our soul. Part of the revenues of these designs are donated to the local Association for Blind People.
Our last exhibition was my last collection Gradiva's launch. 5 legendary love stories engraved in the world history spring to life through Gradiva Collection in jewelry that is the symbol of passion and love. The main theme of the collection is “LOVE”. Love embraces diversity, it is never fooled by appearance, it is timeless and immortal. The collection takes us through a journey filled with legendary love stories.
Nature, Litrature, various field of art, different kinds of people from different cultures.
My design style is romantic, timeless, delicate and elegant… The designs me are inspired by the intense emotions of epic romances.
I live in Istanbul one of the greatest cities of the world. On one hand I inspired from Istanbul but on the other hand I inspired from different cultures and cities.
As I'm the owner of Melie, I work for my own company.
A designer can be ready to adopt all circumstances. Different trends and different toics acn effect the designer but On the other hand a designer should never deprive her/himself. According to me a company should work with a designer who can answer the company's needs in a better way. It would be mutual beneficial both for the company and for the designer.
Once you choose the story you start to research all the details about the story. And then comes the final drawings.
After that as if the drawings are real I try to listen the sound that evokes the feelings inside my soul. And I choose the material and the gem that suits the most. For eaxamle If I inspired from Cleopatra I use lapis which is a favorite gem in ancient Egypt.
After that as if the drawings are real I try to listen the sound that evokes the feelings inside my soul. And I choose the material and the gem that suits the most. For eaxamle If I inspired from Cleopatra I use lapis which is a favorite gem in ancient Egypt.
A beautiful statue of kissing couple which I bought from Santorini, my vintage veil, my mother of peral old lorgnette from my lorgnette collection and my old teardrop bottle.
I usually spend my time in my design studio with my desihn equipments.
I wake up very early in the morning and I walk like 15 km along the Bosphorus. Then I go to my showroom in Nisantasi. During the day I spend time with special paintings, my surveys, my short stories and a nice chat with my guests and customers. New inspirations come and go to my mind and I find myself drawing a piece for Melie. Melie teaches special things to me every single day.
I wake up very early in the morning and I walk like 15 km along the Bosphorus. Then I go to my showroom in Nisantasi. During the day I spend time with special paintings, my surveys, my short stories and a nice chat with my guests and customers. New inspirations come and go to my mind and I find myself drawing a piece for Melie. Melie teaches special things to me every single day.
Research, inspired from everything rather then their own branch and add feelings and emotions to every single design.
A biggest obstacle is a unexpected production problem. That's why you have to be clear and you have to know different
techniques about production so that you can discuss the matter with craftaman himself.
techniques about production so that you can discuss the matter with craftaman himself.
A design has to have a soul, a story behind and It has to be unique.
curiosity, hunger for research, the powe of balancing the past, present and future.
My drawing papers, pens and my painting equipments. Those are my basic needs about designing.
Time management is important. If you are designer you have to listen to the world itself. Amd this needs time. You keep yourself. You have to march with time.
It may take one day or it may take one month or one year. Depends on your spiritual level.
How do you start designing? Is it your instinct?
After designing my perfume pendants the production of those pendants were a biggest challenge.
Our clients are sophisticated stylish ladies who seeks uniquness.
In addition to the collections, special clients get to tell their own story through designs by using the right metal, stone, and color to shape the jewelry.
In addition to the collections, special clients get to tell their own story through designs by using the right metal, stone, and color to shape the jewelry.
I would like to focus on the jewelry that appealing to all senses. I like evoke the feelings and memories. Each of my designs have a unique story behind.
I like to continue to design, to create new story teller pieces that spring to life.
I develop my designs by myself. I read and travel a lot and sometimes a simple line in a book or in a poem or a simple legend from ancient times or a masterpiece reflects my emotions.
They can contact me from our web site www.meliejewelry.com and also from my e-mail: info@meliejewelry.com
And also from +90 0212 283 0012
We have a showroom in Istanbul. Teşvikiye Mah. Atiye Sok. Uzay Apt. No:3 Kat:1 D:2
Nişantaşı / İstanbul / Turkey
And also from +90 0212 283 0012
We have a showroom in Istanbul. Teşvikiye Mah. Atiye Sok. Uzay Apt. No:3 Kat:1 D:2
Nişantaşı / İstanbul / Turkey