Hüzün in Istanbul

Hüzün in Istanbul draws its name and spirit from Orhan Pamuk's seminal book, built around the Turkish concept of hüzün — a collective, melancholic beauty that lingers over the city. Shot inside a chapel in Istanbul, the project unfolds within a space that already carries its own weight of time and quiet devotion. Photographed entirely in black and white, it strips away color to reveal the città profonda, the deep and hidden soul of the city: worn architecture, quiet interiors, and a quality of light that carries both sorrow and grace. Each image was composed to hold that tension — melancholy and beauty existing in the same frame.

The collection itself emerged from a personal crossover: after completing a tattoo course, I began merging that linework and ornamental sensibility with my leather craftsmanship. The result is a small capsule of leather goods — cardholders and wallets featuring hand-engraved tattoo-inspired motifs — presented alongside a ready-to-wear line shot within the same visual world. Together, they form a single narrative: hüzün translated across photography, garment, and object.