1. Hello! First, can we get to know you?

Hi, I’m Laris. I live between London and Istanbul. After studying Moving Image at Central Saint Martins, I had short-term work experiences in animation, fashion, and startups. In 2017, I decided to carve my own path and founded my brand, LAR Studio, in Istanbul. LAR is a global fashion brand with a distinct niche audience that creates pieces of various functions focused on pattern, inspiration, self-discovery, and sharing. With ever-changing seasonal prints—pareos, bikinis, scarves – the brand expresses optimism, self-expression, and freedom. It’s made up of pieces that come from within – just like me. 🤗

2. If you had to describe Istanbul in three words, what would they be?

Chaotic, historic, wild.

3. Can you share your first memory of the hammam? What role does hammam culture play in your life?

Although I’m a Cancer by zodiac, I have trouble recalling my very first hammam experience. All I know is that I’ve always loved hammams. Sometimes I would go alone, other times with visiting cousins from abroad. The feeling the water and the space gave me has always been a kind of therapy. As someone who loves spending time in water, I believe hammams should be part of our daily lives more often again. ☺️

4. Which traditional craft or artisan has influenced you the most, and why?

Nasra Şimmeshindi – a Mardin-based artist of Syriac heritage who practices traditional block printing. To be honest, I often wonder whether I would have been this creative had I lived 200–300 years ago. Nasra’s work reminds me that I could have been. Her naive lines and folkloric touches are truly impressive. I had the chance to meet her while she was still alive; I still remember the red telephone in her home and a corner with a photo of her and her husband. ☺️

5. What aspect of the architecture or atmosphere at the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam impressed you most?

The central fountain. I believe contemporary architecture should include more fountains.

6. What song do you think would best accompany that quiet, steamy moment in the hammam?

If I’m with someone, something nostalgic and cheerful like “Gole Bee Goldoon” by Googoosh. If I’m alone and there to relax, something more ambient like “Roots and Branches” by E Ruscha V.

7. The hammam experience symbolizes slowing down. How do you take breaks in today’s fast-paced world?

Astrologically, my dominant element is water, so water plays a big role in my life. That’s why I love the hammam. If I’m at home, I’ll fill the bathtub and do aromatherapy. I start my mornings slowly. When I’m not feeling well, I go to the forest if I’m in Istanbul, or to a park if I’m in London.

8. If your creative process were a hammam ritual (like a scrub or massage), which one would it be and why?

It would probably be an aromatherapeutic massage. I draw a lot of inspiration from the sensory experiences that scents create in memory. My inspiration often takes shape starting from a remembered moment.

9. Do you have an object you always carry or a personal ritual?

I carry a St. Lucia medallion and a cross. In the past few years, I’ve developed a deeper connection with faith; the belief that something protects you on a spiritual level is very personal and powerful.

10. If you were to turn an element of hammam culture into a wearable work of art, what would it be?

I would reinterpret the towel we wrap ourselves in after the hammam. Most likely, I’d design a patterned, kaftan-like lounge peshtemal dress that you can slip on in one go.

11. In this collaboration with Zeyrek Çinili Hamam, what inspired your design process?

Flowers and the decorative details on the tiles were my biggest sources of inspiration. When you enter the hammam, you’re almost reborn like a flower, just like how flowers bloom every season. The tile motifs I saw in the museum space formed the heart of my creative process for this project.