Your bag is empty
Occasion Dressing
In a world full of sensational effects and short-lived fancy, the fashion house Dice Kayek creates striking dresses that have poise and presence. As an exclusive demi-couture line debuts at Lane Crawford, Harriet Quick meets the Turkish sisters behind the brand.
Excellence is often achieved at a measured pace. The uphill trajectory is guided by rigorous research, intense experimentation and the application of what the French call ‘savoir faire’ – or know-how. This has certainly been the story for Dice Kayek, the Paris-based couture and ready to wear house founded in 1992 by Ece and Ayse Ege.
What the duo are known for today is beautifully sculpted, architectural dresses in lustrous duchess satin that seem at once restrained and yet burst with promise.
The upturned flower is a signature silhouette that serves to minimise waists, add length and grace while exaggerated shoulder lines guarantee an entrance.
“Modern beauty is the appearance of simplicity,” says Ece the creative head. “There are so many labels and brands but I think being understated rather than overdressed is modern. Shorter lengths, being able to move in and out of a taxi, being able to dance and still be beautiful – these are the criteria. Dice Kayek is not traditional occasion wear – I think we have seen enough mermaid styles! Yet it is constructed and chic,” she adds.
It is Dice Kayek’s finely balanced silhouettes that make a statement rather than reams of crystals, virtuoso frills and princess volumes. The designs seem to glide through space (or along the dance floor) like a sublime piece of architectural beauty and satisfy the eye at every angle. At Lane Crawford, discover exclusive demi-couture designs from the new The Doll House collection, including a one-shoulder anthracite grey gown with a fan of folded colours, an asymmetric black le smoking jacket gown and a caviar-beaded bridal gown and cape.
View the pieces from the inside out and there are all the trademarks of couture – hand-finished seams, featherweight corsetry, covered fastenings and exceptional tailoring. “We can’t abide seeing buttons and zippers,” declares Ayse, adding: “We want these pieces to look like they defy gravity.” The illusion is a sleight of hand. “It’s a matter of experience and there is no hand book,” says Ece, who trained at Paris’ ESMOD school of design. “Every fabric is specific and nothing ever folds in the same way. Each dress is unique,” says Ece of the process.
The sisters now live between Istanbul and Paris. “Istanbul combines so many opposites and contrasts between the East and the West but there is also a deep sense of harmony in the architecture, design and lifestyle. That duality is so inspiring,” says Ayse. The juxtaposition of feminine and masculine, supple and hard, coquettish and elegant is similarly apparent throughout their work. “Fashion should be about today – we hope to capture that sense of ‘L’Air du Temps’ in our collections,” adds Ece.
Building the business has been an adventure and the brand now encompasses haute couture and ready to wear. The duo also has a mantelpiece full of awards and accolades including the prestigious Victoria & Albert Jameel Prize. In 1994, the house was accepted as an official member of the Fédération française de la couture. It’s a famously hard-to-achieve status that requires an excellence of craftsmanship and vision.
“New Luxury? I think it’s a sense of rarity. Something that makes one feel special and exclusive,” concludes Ece.
Discover an exclusive edit of made-to-order pieces from Dice Kayek, Rosie Assoulin and Delpozo Bridal as Lane Crawford introduces its first-ever made-to-order service. Choose your preferred designers and join us in store for a one-to-one consultation tailored to you.
