Good People of vitruta: Laris Alara Kilimci

Laris, welcome! It’s always a pleasure to chat with people we know and turn it into an interview, but asking and answering the first question is probably the hardest: Who is Laris Alara Kilimci? How did it all start, and how is it going?

I would probably describe myself as a New York-born Turkish designer and entrepreneur. :) I studied Graphic Design and Animation at Central Saint Martins. When I returned to Turkey, I noticed the lack of color usage in the designs here, and my dream of merging art with daily wear through unique designs became the Lar brand in 2017.

LAR is one of the most beloved brands at vitruta. It has also become a brand we now frequently encounter in our daily lives. How is LAR doing?

It’s been 4 years since I launched LAR. I’m someone who is influenced by details in everyday life, and this is actually where many of the stories I use in LAR come from. Honestly, the constant expectation of new products and designs in this industry isn’t very suitable for my own character. When design moves toward fast production, the uniqueness of the work usually diminishes. An artist can’t have an exhibition every year, a musician can’t release an album every year, but in the fashion industry, designers are expected to create something new every season. I’m not too fond of this, but as the "swipe" generation, many people’s consumption habits lean toward this direction. So, I try to meet these demands by applying some of my patterns to different product categories. The truth is, everything that’s new is just a part of what’s old, everything is in motion, but people always look for the "new" in the new, which I think is limiting for creativity. This perspective is one of the realities that sometimes makes me reflect while doing what I love.

What inspires you when you create your designs?

What inspires me changes every season, every period, honestly. But I’m usually inspired by simple details that no one really pays attention to. For example, old objects and places are very inspiring to me. The tiles in my grandmother’s kitchen, a scent in a space, the details of a piece of furniture... These are things that are very much part of life, but no one really notices.

Which cities are more inspiring for you when creating your designs?

Every place has its own unique flavor. For example, before I created the Paradiso collection, I visited Miami, the Caribbean, and the Mexican Islands. The collection had a kitsch, 1980s summer fashion vibe. Other than that, I really enjoy stepping into a place in London and feeling the era so strongly, seeing how the timelessness has been preserved. I love how Paris remains the same and doesn’t change much. There’s always a search for the "new," but in reality, the world continues the same way, and some things don’t change much. You can still have a good feeling by going to a café and having a coffee, which makes me more aware of how people present everything in a different way. At the end of the day, the fact that an artist/creative individual, just like anyone else, dresses and acts as if they’re going somewhere shows that design and art are more of a choice than a necessity. Just like how Dali, despite being an artist, preferred to wear a suit every day.

I imagine the shows and movies you watch are quite different based on everything you've shared so far? :)

I don’t want to watch anything that messes with my psychology. For example, I didn’t watch Squid Game. There’s already enough violence, lack of love, disconnection, and brutality in the world, so I don’t enjoy watching depressing shows. Comedy is always my preference; that’s how I look at life. I enjoy small ironies. Peep Show and Fleabag are my favorite shows. Besides that, I always have Seinfeld, Sex and The City, and How I Met Your Mother playing in the background.

I’m not a fan of the hype. When I was at St. Martins, every second there was a new hype, and my professors would always say the same thing: "Always be yourself, stay true to yourself. Hype comes and goes, and if you try to fit in with everything, you’ll end up being nothing." Honestly, that’s why I believe staying analog is better for a person’s psychology and creativity. At the end of the day, it's impossible to completely disconnect from technology, but sometimes returning to the simple aspects of life and enjoying them is what 'resets' you and guides you to live more consciously.

Can you tell us your top 5 favorite brands at vitruta?

First and foremost, LAR :) Then RAINS, Converse, CHIMI, and Bil's.