Turkish Cypriot interior designer Aysel Ballıkaya, 24, made her mark on the international stage by designing a window display for Biffi Boutiques during Milan Fashion Week, one of the world's four leading fashion weeks. The project was organised in collaboration with Hearst Magazines with the aim of giving emerging designers greater visibility.
Ballıkaya described how she came to be involved: "My department head called me and offered me a place on the project directly. At first I couldn't believe it. I later found out that only a select group of students had even been given the chance to apply. Receiving such an offer was a great honour." She worked alongside a professional team for approximately one month and said the aspect she enjoyed most was the near-total creative freedom the team was given.
Ballıkaya completed her primary and secondary education at Near East Primary School and College before going on to graduate with high honours in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design from Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD). She subsequently won a scholarship to pursue a master's degree in Interior Design at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) in Milan. Her connection with Italy dates back to her first visit in 2018, when she recalled thinking, "From that day on, I believed that one day I would have my own story here."
Ballıkaya noted that her childhood dream was to become a painter, and that over time her love of art merged with a passion for design. "In my view, art and design are two disciplines deeply in love with each other — they nourish and complete one another," she said, adding that her goal had always been simply to create. She sees spaces not merely as physical environments but as entities with their own soul, capable of leaving a lasting impression, and considers communicating this to others a central part of her mission.
Reflecting on her time in Milan, Ballıkaya said the experience had broadened her knowledge base, enriched her archive of references and exposed her to a wide range of perspectives. Working alongside students from different cultures around the world had also been deeply inspiring. She acknowledged that living abroad alone brings its share of challenges, but stressed that facing those challenges independently plays a significant role in self-discovery. Having described the Milan Fashion Week project as a turning point in her career, Ballıkaya confirmed that becoming part of the fashion world now features among her professional ambitions.
