Fashion News

AUTHOR: HAZAL BAYAT June 15, 2022

2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic art wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met). Madeline Weinrib is the name behind The Heirloom Project, which was launched to celebrate this important anniversary. The curator says that the idea that sprouted the project, which celebrates cultural richness and craftsmanship, was the business needs of craftsmen during the pandemic. Güneş Mutlu, the founder of Mehry Mu, one of the names representing Turkish culture in the project in which participants from many different countries took part; He explains the purpose of the designs in the capsule collection with the words "To bring the beauties of the museum out with a contemporary expression".

For Weinrib, who says, "Anything that makes people think about cultural heritage and making small-scale craftsmanship more sustainable is very valuable," what makes The Heirloom Project special is the value the participating designers place on being a part of the project. “Each of the designers created a great synergy by bringing very special and unique designs. I was already familiar with most of the brands and artisans we worked with; “I've always admired their work, so it's a great honor to collaborate with them,” she says.

Representing Turkish culture in the project, Mutlu's brand, which he defines as "the expression of both my real and imaginary travels", has been contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage since 2009. “There seems to be no model in Mehry Mu collections that hasn't been touched by a craftsman,” says the designer. Mutlu, who was inspired by the magnificence of Istanbul in the early days of his design journey, says that today he is nourished by chaos and imperfection: “Laundry hanging on pegs in the side streets, shaken carpets, unwashed coffee fortunes, surprises of nightlife…” Mehry Mu's story stretching to the Met His story is also unique: "A few years ago, I wrote a message to Madeline on Instagram, talked about the obstacles the model I was trying to create faced in the fashion industry, and stated that I would love to work together if there was a project." Happy begins. Weinrib immediately responded to the message, which he referred to as "the letter of the Sun", and thus a friendship began between the two.

Praise for Craft from The MET

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is launching The Heirloom Project under the leadership of Madeline Weinrib to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Islamic works wing. One of the participants of the project, which celebrates craftsmanship and cultural heritage, is Güneş Mutlu, the founder of the Mehry Mu brand.

The capsule collection created for the project includes a variety of designs ranging from household items to jewellery. “We wanted visitors to The Heirloom Project to feel like they were purchasing a collectible,” says Weinrib. As Mutlu and Weinrib say about Mehry Mu designs, which are designed like jewels; “It should not be kept in the closet, but should be kept as an object on the table.” Designed to be shaped with mother-of-pearl inlay art, the bags were made by Syrian artisans through Jordan-based Turquoise Mountain. “This was Madeline's wish,” says Mutlu, and continues to explain the journey of the bags in the Met Store: “Two boxes later arrived in Istanbul, and their locks were prepared and assembled by the jewelery masters in the Grand Bazaar. Finally, the boxes were covered with turquoise satin and turned into bags in our workshop. "An Iznik motif found at the Met was printed on the covers of the bags."

“It is very valuable to support craftsmen financially and morally,” says Mutlu, concluding his words: “The fashion industry is taking important steps towards cultural sustainability, but it is not enough; Now it's the turn of the giant brands. The most important problem right now is excess stock. Accordingly, we are selling our bags in The Heirloom Project through the pre-order system.” In fact, the way to ensure cultural sustainability is simple: Achieving an originality and culture-oriented approach to the idea of ​​consumption; just like The Heirloom Project aimed and achieved…

Original article translated by Google Translate.