Kikiriki is paving the way for women’s fashion, and we love to see it! The empowering, edgy, and trendy lifestyle brand lives by the motto: push life to its limits, dress well, look good, have fun, feel great, and live within your means! The clothing brand puts a massive focus on their conscious and ethical work, practicing sustainable production while including representative models and styles in diverse options and sizes.
The end result? High-quality pieces at an affordable price point so consumers from all over the world can enjoy. With celebrity cosigns from Britney Spears, Chrishell Stause, & Seyma Subasi, Kikiriki is effortlessly spreading like wildfire on an international level, reeling in the timeless designs of Europe and America and blending them into one melting pot. With up to 40 new designs weekly, each item is created with the utmost care and attention to detail.
Sheen Magazine caught up with the company’s head, Kursat, who originally hails from Turkey. Read below as we discuss his background, where Kikiriki originated, what sets them apart, using sustainable production, celebrities rocking their clothes, new items and collections, and more!
Tell us about your background, who you are and where you’re from.
I’m the Vice President of the sales department, particularly in global. I’m from Turkey, and I’m coming from the show business. I used to dance and organize shows, then I met the owner of Kikiriki almost 25 years ago, and we became friends. The brand’s vibe is very, very spectacular, so sexy, and so widespread. We started using the Kikiriki clothing for some of our shows and events, and then we became friends with the owner. Years after, he offered me this job in New York because I speak a few languages and this and that. So I traveled from Turkey to America almost 15 years ago.
Where does the name Kikiriki come from?
It comes from the Yugoslavian language. It means peanut. In Turkey, they call the beautiful girl “you’re crispy like a peanut.” It comes from there. You’re so crispy; you’re so beautiful. I refer to that word from the Yugoslavian language.
There are so many fashion brands out there. What’s special about yours?
Well, the thing is, it’s just the word. It’s hidden in the sentence. We really stand out as a brand because whatever we’re doing is a little spectacular. The women who like to wear Kikilriki like to be seen, and they like to show themselves. We have a lot of different collections. We are doing some very, very basic lines with shapewear. Also, on the contrary, we have very spectacular party dresses, tube dresses.
When I was in London, we came across the buyer with ASOS. They said that we have everything on our platform, but Kikiriki is missing the festival life. Something spectacular, we’re missing something like this. When I heard this, I really understood that. What’s really such a big company with almost everything as clothing and accessories, they just want us to be there. Because we’re more different, so edgy, I can use the word edgy.
I know the brand uses high-quality pieces, sustainable production. Why is that important to you?
With the new trends, the global things and the time that we’ve been through, people really are starting to care about the planet. We’re aware that we need to use the planet’s resources more carefully as humankind. All these sustainability and recycling, all these matters become so important. In all these industries, the fashion industry followed this care for the planet as well. As a person and a brand, we need to protect the only — as Carl Sagan says, this is the only planet we can survive. This is our only home, so knowing that we really need to care more about this home of ours.
Talk about the brand being so versatile that you can dress up and be comfortable.
For me, coming from the show business, life is like your show. Each person is acting in their own show in this lifetime. You understand this more than anywhere else, from the show industry directly to the fashion industry, especially in New York. Because New York, they call it sometimes Zoo York. There is every different race, culture; you can find everybody here in New York City. So from my point of view, in your show, you can be whoever you are in your own personality. Kikiriki clothing is so spectacular, so whoever wants to be spectacular in their lives, they’ll like to get a piece of it. Since I’m in New York, I realized that there’s a huge community from the LGBTQ.
As I’m coming from the show business, my windows are always spectacular. I try to make my show on 37th Street in Manhattan, fashion district. I make shows in my windows. That attracts many people from different lives, from the stylists, videographers, photographers, influencers. I’m aware of that. I’ve been to RuPaul DragCon a few times. RuPaul has drag races in Los Angeles and New York just to support brands that do service for this industry. Hair, makeup, this and that. I wanted to be there, and that was a big hit. Briefly, when I see that diversity in New York City, that affects a lot of the brand influence too. New York City is a milestone in Kikiriki’s diversity, diverse look.
Talk about Britney Spears wearing your jumpsuit. How did that happen?
That was one of our designers. He just graduated from Fashion Academy in Turkey. That was one of his collaborations with Kikiriki. I’m very happy that she had it on.
What other celebs have rocked you guys’ clothing?
We’re a ready-to-wear brand. Just today, Chrishell Stause from Selling Sunset. She just shared for Elle.com USA. She wore one of our tulle dresses. There’s this Turkey celebrity Seyma Subasi. She has a few million followers. Carmen Carrera, we have a few.
What collections or items are you most excited about next?
We will be launching our new collection for Spring/Summer 22′ in Magic Las Vegas very soon. We’re doing our swimwear at that location. Still, there’s a lot of tulle dresses coming with the summer vibes. Kikiriki has a lot of fishnets in neon colors. The summer is going to be very bright and colorful.
Anything else we should know about the brand?
We are a brand that women, as soon as they find us, they’re addicted because of all of these trendy loops we keep updating so often. The world is going digital now, so we want to be on that metaverse with the new understanding and reality. We’re trying to improve ourselves through that world, to update and follow the latest trends and the new expectations.
Photos courtesy of Kikiriki
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