She has dressed some of the world's biggest A-listers including Lady Gaga, Lindsay Lohan and Liz Hurley. Now, Manchester-based fashion designer Zeynep Kartal is using her talent to help raise funds following a series of devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria which have left millions of people in need of urgent support.
Zeynep, who became an adopted Mancunian after moving to the city from her native Turkey in 2005, has designed a special T-shirt with all proceeds going to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal. Celebs have been flocking to support the appeal while rocking Zeynep's chic white tee with a loveheart and map design showing support for those affected.
Zeynep explained on her website and Instagram page: "We are raising money for DEC charities for victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquakes in February and its devastating effects.
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"DEC charities have supplied urgent medical aid and access to healthcare, shelter for those who have lost their homes, heating in safe spaces, blankets, and warm clothes, and ensuring people have food and clean water. Hospitals, schools, homes and shelters have been destroyed as well as millions being separated from their families. Not only that but victims are sleeping rough in freezing, snowy temperatures."
Those sporting the T-shirt include former Coronation Street stars Catherine Tyldesley and Bhavna Limbachia, TV presenter Jenny Powell and Good Morning Britain presenter Charlotte Hawkins. In a video clip as she modelled the £30 top, Bhavna said: "£10 can provide people with warm blankets. £25 will provide emergency food for a family for 10 days and £50 will provide emergency accommodation for two families."
Zeynep has been left heartbroken by the news and has flown back to her homeland to help. She told us: "Many, many close friends have passed away. Eleven cities have gone and I want to help. One of my very close friends lost 37 people in one family."
After learning English, Zeynep followed her dream of launching her own fashion label. From her showroom in King Street she has also dressed singers Cheryl, Kylie Minogue and Paloma Faith, Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts and TV personalities including Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden, Emily Atack and Emma Willis, Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly and Starstruck judge Beverley Knight.
She has showcased her designs at London Fashion Week shows and New York Fashion Week and her stunning outfits have been worn by TV favourites on the red carpet at the National Television Awards and British Soap Awards. Her flair for fashion was revealed as a teen when she made outfits for herself and her friends and the mother of twin sons Emre and Berke made Manchester her home after her husband's job meant the family had to relocate here.
Zeynep's talent was first discovered at the age of 10 when she attended a local sewing course in her Turkish birthplace of Bursa. She beat designers more than twice her age to win an award for her intricate skills.
After completing a degree in fashion design, she spent 19 years working in production, marketing, design and textile positions within the fashion industry. Amid the coronavirus crisis Zeynep and her boys wanted to do something positive to help so the three of them turned their hand to making face masks.
In September, Lady Amelia Windsor, dubbed the 'most beautiful royal', turned heads as she walked the catwalk at London Fashion Week for Zeynep. The fashion model and 42nd in line to the throne walked in the Zeynep Kartal x Li & Fung spring/summer 2023 runway show.
The 27-year-old, whose grandfather Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent is a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, wore a dramatic flowing green taffeta blouse with flowing train, teamed with green shorts. She also walked the catwalk in a pale pink three piece suit and a ruffled lilac-pink dress with a side split.
Zeynep collaborated with global fashion manufacturers Li & Fung on a debut sustainable collection entitled Noblesse Oblige. Model and muse Amelia, a passionate devotee of sustainable fashion, opened and closed the runway show.
DEC's member charities and their local partners have been providing urgent aid including medical care, shelter, food, water, blankets and heating. To buy a T-shirt to help DEC charities scale up their response visit www.zeynepkartal.co.uk/special-t-shirt
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