Mersi Nazanin is an emerging designer who hails from Istanbul, Turkey. She was originally from Kerman, which is a small city in the south of Iran. Growing up, the sight of admiration towards people who devoted their lives to give humankind the privilege of living in peace and dignity inspired her to pursue her academic studies, so she graduated with a master’s degree in Criminal Law. Moreover, she has written two books in Persian. Due to her creative imagination and great passion for artworks, she has started painting her ideas since her childhood which led to holding an exhibition in Iran; however, it did not fulfill her dreams. That’s when she decided to attend a Fashion and Accessory Design Course, which was the first step towards her professional life in the fashion industry.
Sassy & Co magazine recently caught up with Nazanin to discuss her journey in the fashion industry and here’s what went down:
What do you like most about being a designer?
In this field, there are many opportunities, which means you can create a unique career path. Actually, it is the ability to create a vision with your own hands. In my opinion, one of the most interesting facts related to fashion designing is that you always have a chance to create something new, something more creative which can be totally different from others.
The downside to being a fashion designer?
Actually, I do not see any downsides to being a fashion designer. However, it is worth mentioning that regarding the high competition of this field, you always need to upgrade your fashion information, and that is what I love about it.
What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while in the fashion industry. This can be about the industry or about yourself.
One of the most valuable lessons that I have learned from life is to make the best of what I have! We have to love ourselves. Believe in ourselves and have self-confidence. Because when you create something, you will face various ideas and behaviors. Some people ignore your work and ideas, and some adore it. So don’t care and just follow your dreams. From my perspective, when you respect your ideas and your dreams, after a while, people will start following your thoughts too.
Is your family supportive of you being a fashion designer?
Yes, of course. My family and my husband always admire and support me to stay independent and be a successful woman.
If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?
Well, if I could go back to a time machine, I preferred to study fashion at the university instead of law since during adolescence, I had much more free time, and it was easier to follow my dreams and achieve my goals.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Live your life the way you want; you just live once, so do what you want and follow your dreams. Do not forget to Love yourself.
What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it.
I believe that my characteristics, such as assertiveness, flexibility, commitment, and a spirit of teamwork, could help me through this journey. I know that I have the potentiality of being one of the bests in my field in the future, and there would be millions of people who use my innovations all around the world. I’ve planned to have my own fashion academy and sewing workshop to support people interested in working in this field because I have faced many people who took related courses but did not know how to start and find a suitable market for their sketches and works. Therefore I planned to have my own academy to help them from the beginning of the way and providing their market in my place and all the support they might need.
