We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Ece Cokca ("EC").
Ece Cokca is an interior architect and owner of Stelart Jewelry. She had a master degree on restoration during which she studied ancient hans of Istanbul and their additions. Stelart's first collections are related to architectural series such as Arcade, Planimetric and Addition which are inspired by historical hans. In other collections silver, precious stones and different materials such as feather are used. She likes to combine unrelated material in the form of jewelry as it is in ‘Feather’ earring. All her designs have a story and the brand name 'Stelart' comes from 'storytellingart'. With Stelart Jewelry the client does not put on only a jewelry, but also a story. One of the most important targets of the brand name is to make clients ‘feel the story through jewelry’.
Ece Cokca Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Ece Cokca.
Designer Interview of Ece Cokca:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
EC : I always had a profound interest in arts. I started painting and jewellery design before my university years. I have chosen interrior design for my university carrier and graduated an interrior designer during all these years I had a profound interest in photography expecially shooting abstract photos. I'm currently experiencing my design capability as an jewelry designer in my own brand 'Stelart Jewelry'.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
EC : Stelart Jewerly is a handmade jewerly design studio. In our studio all jewelries are pure handcraft and has a unique story. Company name 'Stelart' also lexicalised from Storytelling Art.
DI: What is "design" for you?
EC : Design is the creation of a new product by the artist inspired or influenced from images he/she sees during daily life. Even it seems that the world experienced or perceived by people are the same, the impression or reflection on each individual is different which brings to life unique designs.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
EC : Jewelry, especially ring, earring
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
EC : My favorite collection is 'Architectural Collection'. The whole productions in architectural collection has a special inspiration. It was Buyuk Valide Han and my master thesis was about this han. With architectural collection, I've tried to keep it alive in the form of a jewelry.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
EC : I'm mostly working with silver and bronze.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
EC : I feel most creative when I'm travelling with plane.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
EC : Functionality of a product is the main aspect that I am focusing during the design
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
EC : I feel uncomfortable, untill a design comes out
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
EC : It is something like the celebration of a birth
DI: What makes a design successful?
EC : The functionality and the pleasing effect on the user makes a product most successful.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
EC : The initial impression of a design is very important, the functionality and the right color combination influences people very much.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
EC : To me, the most important responsibility of a designer is to create awareness by means of design
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
EC : I think the design field is evolving more and more with the new design tools such as cad drawing and 3d modelling and the design education spreading world wide day by day.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
EC : I haven't arranged an exhibition for my jewelries, but I'm planning to join Istanbul Bienal
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
EC : Most of my inspiration subjects are historical buildings and places. I feel creative when I make research about cultural heritage
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
EC : My jewelry designs are minimal and uniqe style. I like women to have an unexpected jewelry experience with my designs.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
EC : I'm living in Istanbul a city which has the cultural herritage from Byzantion and Ottoman Empires. The historical herritage is influencing my design view and concepts considerably, plus the natural beauty of the Bosphorus is another inspiration for my designs.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
EC : It maybe better for companies to make designers feel free during the design process and it is also better for them to be open minded to extraordinary designs.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
EC : First an inspiration comes out and I drow many sketches, I choose the best drawing and decide which materials to use, and I go to my ateiler and begin to give life to the sketches.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
EC : Dragonfly made with bamboo,a table in a form of a chest , origami objects, lamp,
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
EC : In a usual working day I wake up early in the morning and I go to Grand Bazaar to choose precious stones, silver materials for my work. And in the afternoon I go to my atelier I have some ready sketches and begin to make some design attampts. I cannot end working until a satisfactory design comes out.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
EC : Be patient
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
EC : The positive side of being a designer is the challenging art of creativity, the negative side if you are not talented in arts you may not be successful.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
EC : My golden rule in design is not designing a thing commonly excepted in the market.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
EC : A designer should be a good observer and got inspiration before starting any design.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
EC : Rasp, welding torch, tor
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
EC : I patiently work on it as long as it takes
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
EC : It depends on the complexity of an object sometimes technical challences may influence the design period to be longer than expected.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
EC : How do you make your designs? Where do all these ideas come from?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
EC : I worked 4 years in Bien company making architectural designs and also trained at the atelier of an experienced master of jewelry design
DI: Who are some of your clients?
EC : Women who have a style and open minded to use extraordinary designs
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
EC : Jewellery design is something that I enjoy the most
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
EC : In the future I want to make known my trademark
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
EC : I develop my design by myself
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
EC : The side earring is coming and the main idea of this jewelry is connecting of different lands and cultures in the form of an earring
DI: How can people contact you?
EC : People can contact me through my e-mail : stelartjewelry@gmail.com and web page: www.stelartjewelry.com
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
EC : No, thank you