The Antomy of a Brand

We are inspired by the transformation of a brand that is inviting with its creativity into a platform and community with its impressive aspect. We are rewriting the rules of entrepreneurship in this endless adventure with artist and designer Seçil Alkış during our own working hours.

Baran Habit

-WHO?

Who is Seçil Alkış?

Seçil Alkış is an artist/designer with a vision to bring creative minds together and develop a sense of community in producing meaningful products and projects together. The artist/designer, who started her art career in 2009 by being selected as the young artist of the year by Akbank, has participated in many exhibitions with her works, entered the art collection and received awards. She continued her art life as an art professional in New York and Istanbul. For more than 10 years, she has opened exhibitions with many global artists all over the world, participated in fairs and worked as a curator. In 2020, she founded a design brand called 10:AM, where she wanted to share her experiences and vision and come together with different artists. 10:AM is her latest project, where she wants to collaborate with interdisciplinary artists to tell today's stories. She continues her life and work in New York and Istanbul as the founder and designer of 10:AM. While the artist/designer continues her designs in the field of textiles, she collaborates with global brands as a designer.

-WHAT?

What is '10:AM' and what does it do?

10:AM is a brand, platform and community that offers products that blend art and design and chooses textile as a tool to ask questions about our day.

At the beginning of our brand, we aimed to focus on sweatshirts and t-shirts in the textile field. However, we continue to carry out projects in different design areas as a design office.

We believe in creating products that reflect our worldview, focus on sustainability and pay attention to every production detail from start to finish. We offer limited edition, sustainable textiles that define everyday streetwear.

The name 10:AM comes from the time I started working throughout my career. As those who work in the arts and creative fields know, 10AM is not a working hour, it was our way of life. From the first day I started planning the brand, I wanted my designs to be worn by people who think like me, who have adopted this lifestyle or want to be in it. I think the name 10:AM reflects this very well.

-HOW?
How did your entrepreneurship story develop?

Since I have been actively working in the creative sector for many years, I have always had the need and desire to create my own design framework. And I started this in 2020 by entering the textile sector. Textile has been a sector where I have only been a buyer until now, and I have enjoyed it very much after creating my own brand. The workshop life, which may be very difficult for many people, is an extra exciting area for me. Bringing different materials together, having them produced in good patterns and quality, workshop conversations were both a great challenge for me and a very enjoyable process. The workshop days are still very exciting for me, creating something that you have in mind from nothing and having a representative design that reflects you on it and seeing it on people walking on the street, this feeling is indescribably delicious for me.

-From where?
Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
I can say that we are implementing the opposite of the supply and demand issue that is taught to us in all finance books. Probably due to my art education and discipline, I preferred not to produce in a field that I saw a need for, but to find a field that would reflect my own world and be good for myself first and then move forward. I am one of those who believe in ''If something is beautiful, everyone sees it.'' Of course, the plans of this method should be evaluated in many equations, but if you prefer to work in a creative field, I think that the work you do should first make you feel and reflect you. Making art or design for a need is completely against the nature of the work. Therefore, I founded the 10:AM brand because I preferred to create a space for myself and everyone who thinks like me. And I can say that we have become a very beautiful and big community in a short time.

-WHERE?
Where do you see yourself and your brand tomorrow and in the future?
Today, tomorrow and in the future, we will continue to produce ideas. This is the only thing I am sure of. The product or area we produce may change, but we will continue to produce. Of course, as everyone dreams, we wanted to exist not only locally but also globally, so we moved the brand's headquarters to New York in November 2021. Soon, we plan to direct our creative energies to create a different product range in New York. Our current material will continue to be textile, but we plan to try different materials and even projects.

-WHEN?
When will you consider your brand and yourself 'successful'?
I will probably never say that we are done J This is an endless adventure for me because I will probably tell myself that there is always something better, you can do better. I think I can only accept that we are successful when I think that I can fully convey the designs in my head, my worldview, and the visual world I dream of.

-SELECTION APPLAUSE-
An impressive movie: Dogville
My bedside book: The Courage to Create - Rollo May
Favorite song/album: Daft Punk – Discovery – Veridis Quo
My idol/role model: Andy Warhol
My work plan/work style: I am very attached to my routines; I sleep at least 7 hours, wake up at 7 every morning and start work at 10. This routine has not changed for about 13 years. I prepare and follow all team work plans in Excel in great detail. I am very disciplined and meticulous, I never give up :). I work very intensively during the week and always give myself a break on the weekends.
My style icon: I'm generally inspired by street styles that aren't iconic or thought out enough.
My beauty routine: Washing my face and brushing my teeth is my only routine.
My signature accessory: My pinky ring and fountain pens
My color: Black-blue
My source of inspiration: Contemporary Art (painting&sculpture) and cinema

An unforgettable route: Thailand and its undiscovered islands