Her academic researches focuses on how labour rights violations in the textile and fashion industries can be made visible to consumers by artistic activism with the industry's materials and imagery. Her researches explores the potential of textiles not only as cultural artifacts but also as tools of resistance and activism. Through her artistic practice, she creates new worlds using textile materials, crafting intimate and meticulously hand-constructed scenes that reflect inner landscapes. Her creative approach centers on honoring traditional textile craftsmanship while experimenting with form, narrative, and critique.
In 2014, she founded Hooop the Bag, a handmade bag brand that celebrates artisanal techniques and textile heritage. With this brand, she won first prize at the Turkish Registered Trademarks Association Design Competition in 2017 and The Independent Handbag Designer Awards in 2018.
She holds a Ph.D. in Textile from Marmara University, where she completed her dissertation titled "The Role Of Activist Art In The Labour Struggles In The Garment Industry." She earned her MA in Fashion and Textile Design from NABA Milano and her BA in Advertising from Istanbul Bilgi University.
She currently works as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Textile and Fashion Design at Istanbul Okan University.
gizemyucelen@gmail.com