SUPERTRASH IS ANYTHING BUT by Delaney Butler
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ew York’s latest European transplant has hit the fashion scene and stolen the hearts of fashion mavens. Olcay Gulsen is the creative force behind Supertrash, a brand that garnered immense praise for its Autumn/Winter collection at Amsterdam International Fashion Week at the end of January. Supertrash is a collaborative effort between Olcay and her sister, but there’s no sibling rivalry here. In fact, Olcay says that working together is “the best fun ever!” and that the two are “so the same…so that makes working together so much easier.” The line was inspired by one of history’s earliest and most notable fashionistas: Queen Cleopatra. One can imagine that the celebrated and notorious queen would be extremely proud to serve as the inspiration for such a fearless collection. She would presumably also identify with the idea that the collection was based on this one thought: “Dare to show yourself.” Olcay’s inspiration for her clothing, however, can come from almost anywhere. When beginning a new line she said “I start by travelling a lot to empty my mind and just sit outside looking at the
crowd, visiting museums, going to new spots. Then I come back to my studio and print out all the pictures I made whilst travelling. Then I start sketching my first ideas. Funny enough I always end up making the concept of the collection with my first sketches.” Clearly Olcay’s habit of trusting her initial instincts has worked well so far. At a recent press breakfast, I had the chance to meet Olcay and learn the story of this exciting new line, and the exciting woman behind it. Given the early hour, and the blizzard picking up speed on the streets below, the turnout of industry insiders was a testament to the brand’s potential. While the recent runway show played on a large projector, the clothes came to life as models gathered for photographs. It was against this backdrop of excitement that the story of the brand began to unfold. Barred from attending design school by her parents, Olcay initially attended business school in the Netherlands, but never gave up on her dream of becoming a designer. Upon graduating, she took her knowledge of business and began living her dream. At only 29 years old, she is the owner and creative director of Supertrash. When asked about coming to New York from Europe, Olcay
responded with refreshing honesty: “I don’t want to say people in Europe dress better, but I mean…they do.” Coming to an entirely new city in a new country can be a bit of culture shock, but Olcay seems to appreciate the contrast of the two cities. She feels that “the biggest difference between New York and Amsterdam is that NY is the city that really has a constant buzz and huge creativity, if you walk on the streets you get inspired constantly, Amsterdam is more laid back and edgy in a alternative kind of way.” Olcay was candid and insightful, and even amidst the rush of photographers, models, editors, and stylists all buzzing around the room, she never seemed distracted or overwhelmed. Following the trend of stores like H&M, Supertrash launched a magazine to complement their clothing. The synonymous magazine is an example of the way with which a fashion brand needs to cover all aspects of life in order to be successful. Making beautiful clothing is no longer enough (although it is an excellent starting point). The culture of the clothing and the people who wear it, are just
Designer of Supertrash, Olcay Gulsen (top); Supertrash Fall 2010 collection (right) (photos courtesy of WWD.com)
as important as the technical choices that go into creating a collection. The celebratory first issue of Supertrash Magazine highlights the hottest emerging trends in art, music, food, beauty, and social life around the world. This issue’s cover girl, British singer Pixie Lott, was an obvious choice to represent the brand: young, multi-talented, passionate, and devastatingly hip. When asked who she would want to where her clothes in the future, Olcay responded with “Rihanna or Gaga. I think both of them are true style icons on a complete other level than any other performers/artists.” Although this is only the beginning for Supertrash, Olcay is already thinking about the future. Her “ultimate dream is to open flagship stores in every big city in the World so people can really understand the DNA of our lifestyle.” With an unstoppable creative team and a burgeoning international fan base, there is no limit to where Supertrash can go. The fashion world will continue to watch this up-and-coming brand on its rise to notoriety.