Without any context, the emphasis on white throughout the Dice Kayek Resort lineup could be seen simply as calm and cool—a fresh look forward to the season ahead. And while this is true, the statement also looks back to 1992, when Ece Ege proposed her collection comprised of 15 poplin shirts. Now, as she approaches the 25th anniversary of the brand she shares with her sister, Ayse, she felt this acknowledged the milestone in the most authentic way possible. “It was our first signature thing,” said Ece. “And a quarter century in fashion—that’s not nothing.” This time, for each different expression of dramatic, exacting volume, she chose the fabric that best corresponded, which meant thinking beyond poplin. The gabardine of an angular tunic with balloon sleeves may have seemed weighty to touch, but she pointed out how it wasn’t remotely transparent and that its fixed A-line shape was actually optimized for airflow. “It’s like couture cotton; I swear you don’t feel it, not even in 50-degree [Celsius] heat,” said the Turkish designer, who knows whereof she speaks, given summer temperatures.
On the flip side, she used a sheerer silk organza to soften the effect of a men’s blue check shirt. Her offbeat personality came through in the appearance of insects—scarabs, crickets, and other unidentified critters. They were so vividly rendered as a custom print or in embroidery and beading that you’d hardly mistake them for entomology studies—least of all the embellished ant crawling up a shirtdress that seemed Dali-esque. Yet to hedge against the ick factor, she also offered sequin-scaled fishes, pearl bubbles included. On a gray sweatshirt in fine neoprene, the effect wasn’t just playful; it also signaled the rarefied aspect to the clothes. You need only glance at the two black dresses with their architectural contours to sense something decidedly couture.
