Lace and frills for the fashion romantic: inside the atelier of Bora Aksu
Aksu, born in Turkey, trained and based in London, has recently opened a boutique in Tsim Sha Tsui, part of his eponymous label’s quiet success that’s also seen nine stores open on the mainland
In the shadow of London’s Canary Wharf is an industrial building that even an iPhone GPS struggled to find. But the quest proved worthwhile because inside a wedged-shaped studio space is a romantic world filled with bolts of organza and lace, shelves of antique dolls, mood boards of pretty girls in vintage photographs and rails of airy pastel-coloured dresses. This is the nerve-centre of Bora Aksu, the Turkish-born, London-based designer whose mission is to create ethereal clothes for the fashion romantic.
Eight top trends from London Fashion Week’s very feminine collections
You might not have heard of Aksu, but the designer has opened a new boutique in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsu. He’s not as well known as Erdem, Christopher Kane or Simone Rocha, fellow alumni of Central St Martins in London. But being under the radar has been his asset. He is one of those fashion finds that people jealously protect and in fact his label has, quietly, been a success since he staged his first fashion show in 2003. “I have this romantic style that’s a bit tomboyish, that has worked really well in Asia,” he says.
Bora Aksu is ideal for those bored with big brand names, who are looking for something individual and feminine. In partnership with Chinese-owned fashion brand Maryling, Bora Aksu has opened nine stores on the mainland, from Beijing to Kunming, in the past few months. And more are planned. Maryling recognises him as a talented designer with a brand with big potential.
“Bora has a great fashion sense: his clothes are not only beautiful on the catwalk but wearable,” says Isabelle Lee, chief executive of Maryling. “Asian girls like lace, dresses and lovely colours and his palette is pure, quiet and cute.”
Ever since he was young, Aksu has been a talented and prodigious illustrator and each store is decorated with his images: “It makes it more personal; the customer steps into my world. I even paint on the faces of the mannequins,” he confesses.
