Originally from Turkey but now living in Australia, Ilkin Kurt is a fashion buyer and consultant – and ultimate stylish woman.
It’s not practical to keep buying and trying to follow the trends. Credit:Jess James
How would you describe your style?
Moody. Eclectic. Impulsive.
What is the oldest thing in your wardrobe?
My grandmother’s lace and silk blouses. I come from a really stylish family. In Turkey, my grandfather was a shoemaker, and on his buying trips for leather he would get beautiful fabrics for my grandmother that she would take to the tailor for a dress or a jacket. I still wear these pieces.
What is the most recent item you bought?
It’s not practical to keep buying and trying to follow the trends. I have been lucky enough to create a good wardrobe, so I try to only buy things I really like or want to collect as a piece. I recently bought some Miu Miu sandals that are so beautiful I will keep them forever.
What would you wear on …
… a first date?
I am 35, I am not trying to impress anyone any more with the sexiest dress. So, it would be a well-cut shirt, denim and kitten heels.
… a plane? Cashmere.
… to the Oscars? A suit and slick hair.
What is your favourite fashion decade?
I find the minimalism of the ’90s just so beautiful. Also, the 1940s – before polyester hit the world, everything was very well made. I don’t wear that kind of clothing myself, but I appreciate the look of it.
Your worst fashion mistake?
Platform sneakers when I was 16.
Loulou de la Falaise inspired Ilkin’s short hair.
What is the first piece of clothing that you remember from your childhood?
My mum’s wardrobe is the earliest memory I have. I used to hide in there and smell the clothes – she always wore the same perfume. She had this cherry-red velvet dress and I thought it was the most beautiful dress in the world.
Who is your favourite designer?
I have a deep appreciation for John Galliano, [Azzedine] Alaïa and Miuccia Prada. I love Dries Van Noten; I try to get a piece every season, it’s a collecting thing for me.
What would you never wear?
Something super revealing like a Hervé Léger bandage dress.
What is a trend that you like right now?
I like that everyone is going back to suits because my wardrobe is full of jackets, blazers and matching pants. I find suiting is such an empowering thing for women.
What shoes do you wear most often?
The shoes I am most comfortable in are all Prada. They have a low block heel that gives me a bit of height and I can walk in them all day long.
Who is your style muse?
I like Sofia Coppola. And Loulou de la Falaise from her Yves Saint Laurent days; actually, she is the reason I cut my hair short.
Ilkin, aged two, in Safranbolu wearing a dress made by her grandmother.Credit:Courtesy of Ilkin Kurt
Can you remember your first fashion moment?
I always knew, from a really young age, that I was going to work in fashion. I was raised in Safranbolu, a really small town. My parents were both teachers who thought I should get a normal job in a bank, so it wasn’t until I finished uni and was working in magazines that I had the opportunity to work in fashion. When I went to a Dior show in Paris for the first time, I thought, “This is what I love. This is what I want.” It was a dream for me.
This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale October 6.
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