The young fashion designer made it to the finals in Italy

Mert Serbest (27), a graduate of the Department of Textile and Fashion Design, Izmir University of Economics (IUE), has reached the finals of the International Talent Support (ITS), a prestigious fashion competition. Serbest, who made it to the top 16 in the competition where 782 designers from 65 countries participated with his collection ‘mOTHERlandS’ consisting of 25 pieces, aims to achieve a significant success in his career at a young age when he goes to Italy in March. Inspired by the difficulties his family faced when they immigrated from Bulgaria to Turkey in 1989 and the culture of that period, Serbest expressed his excitement for the final, saying, “Fashion is an excitement that will never end for me.”

I TOOK MY TIME, ACTED METICULOUSLY

Continuing his educational journey by pursuing a master's degree at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, known for its 361-year history, Serbest said, “Reaching the finals in such a valuable and prestigious competition is gratifying. I believed that my designs would attract the jury's attention, and it happened that way. It was a collection I prepared meticulously, without rushing. There is no ranking like first or second place in the competition. There are many different awards under different titles. I will be in Italy with the goal of receiving the ‘Arcademy Award’, which is the highest degree. The selected designs from my collection will also be exhibited in the museum of ITS and thus will have a permanent place in the archive. Fashion is a completely different passion for me, an excitement that will never end. I feel this in every work, every project I do. I want to advance myself even further and be successful in my major where I put a lot of effort.”  

I TRUST MYSELF

Serbest continued, saying, “After graduating in 2020, I decided to pursue a master's degree abroad, thinking that I needed to progress academically. It was a difficult and uncertain period due to the pandemic. Fortunately, we overcame those days, and I had the opportunity to receive education abroad. There is a rapid change in the field of fashion along with evolving technology, new trends, and needs. I believe that I will quickly adapt to this process and create works that make a difference. I trust myself and thank all the academics who supported me, provided me with opportunities, and contributed to my education for bringing me to where I am today."