Esra Erciyes

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Esra Erciyes ("EE") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

EE : Design has been a part of me since childhood. I’ve always enjoyed combining things with one another and using them in different contexts from unique perspectives. Design existed in my life even outside of formal education—I learned design by actually designing. I created works in fashion textile pattern design, architectural and interior design, even though these fields were outside my formal training. However, I worked professionally for many years in textile printing and pattern design. Later, driven by my passion for three-dimensional design, I decided to study jewelry. I received my education at Dokuz Eylül University in Jewelry and Accessory Design, and at Altınbaş University’s Faculty of Fine Arts and Design in Jewelry Design with a full scholarship. I also studied accessory design, sculpture, and mosaic in Italy at Academia di Belle Arti L’Aquila through the Erasmus program, again on a full scholarship.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

EE : My motivation comes from the happiness I find in discovering new things. Creating and seeing from different angles keeps me inspired.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

EE : I guess it's the act of discovering new things that makes this world feel mysterious and captivating.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

EE : Design has no limits, and I’ve had the opportunity to explore it in many fields. Right now, I’m on a journey of self-discovery in the world of jewelry. Futuristic designs attract me, but I believe in staying connected to timeless classics. For me, it’s essential to create designs that build a bridge between the past and the future.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

EE : Every design is a story. It feels to me that without our own story, we don't have our own design. You must have something to tell. Design is the way to express what you see through your own eyes and what you feel

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

EE : A good designer meets expectations, a great designer finds a way beyond what you expected.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

EE : I believe that there is a place where the designer is silent, and the design speaks. That design only tells this, and those who look at it feel it

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

EE : Design is the work of the future. Some things done ahead of their time cannot be understood before their time comes. Design is art. And art tells the story of the future. Investing in art is actually investing in tomorrow. A good design lives forever.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

EE : If I had the opportunity, I would love to design story-specific jewelry for truly good films. Because true design is limitless. The more you limit it, the less it remains a design.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

EE : A good design cannot be created by looking at other designs.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

EE : Rene Lalique

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

EE : Secret of Eternity” speaks a visual language uniquely its own in the world of jewelry. It offers a dreamlike illusion, evoking the feeling of organic life — a jewel that breathes, that carries a soul. Inspired by the graceful movements of a jellyfish, it gently reveals this elegance to us. And when it meets the human body, it transforms into a heartbeat — into the rhythm of life itself. I imagine a day when it draws energy from the sun, alive even in its silence. The LED lights do more than reflect the brilliance and life essence of the jewel — they create a captivating spectacle in the dark, as if the piece itself is dreaming.I would like to thank Yön Kuyumculuk and Sinan Yön for believing in my dreams and supporting me in the production of this design.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

EE : I realize that I truly evolve when I remove boundaries, break down categories, and transcend definitions. Because sometimes, it's when you forget what you know that new things can be said.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

EE : If I weren't a designer, I would have pursued painting or writing; in any case, I would have been involved with art.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

EE : Design is art. Art is the search for a language that defines all physical and emotional experiences, all senses and feelings in this world. And I believe those who find this language have a "Seventh Sense" that creates art.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

EE : The supporter of man is first his efforts and then Allah. Therefore, I thank Allah for supporting me in my inspirations.