The Story Behind Kaya Berlin NYC — KAYA | Berlin

Hi, I’m Yasmine, the founder and designer of Kaya Berlin NYC.

After many years working in fashion, I wanted to create something different, without the pressure of constantly producing a new collection for every season or following the traditional fashion calendar.

Growing up in Germany with a Turkish father and an Italian mother shaped the way I see color, pattern, and design. Fashion was always around me, too. My mother was a seamstress, and some of my earliest memories are of being around her while she worked. I later learned the craft more formally through an apprenticeship and went on to study fashion design in Berlin.

Berlin became a big part of who I am, and New York became the place where I built my life and career in fashion. Both cities eventually found their way into the name Kaya Berlin NYC.

Over the years, working in high-end fashion has taught me an enormous amount about fabric, construction, fit, and detail. But what has always felt most instinctive to me is putting things together. Colors, patterns, fabrics and details that may be unexpected, but somehow work. That instinct has become an important part of the visual language of Kaya Berlin NYC.

I loved the idea of creating beautiful pieces that could have more than one purpose. A robe can be something you wear at home, while traveling, getting ready for an evening out, or simply when you want to slow down and feel comfortable.

The same thinking led to my aromatherapy sleep masks. Small, functional pieces designed to become part of your everyday rituals.

There was also a more personal idea behind Kaya Berlin NYC. A friend of mine founded a media company centered around cancer, and our conversations inspired the idea of developing a robe that could be beautiful and useful during recovery. Something that wouldn’t feel clinical, but could still serve a real purpose.

That idea of rest, ritual, and recovery became an important part of what Kaya Berlin NYC is about.

Because I’m not tied to seasons or traditional collections, I have the freedom to create in a more thoughtful way. I can find a beautiful fabric, make a small number of pieces, experiment with something new, and let the collection evolve naturally.

I am looking forward to sharing more of that process here. The fabrics I find, what happens behind the scenes in my New York studio, new pieces, and some of the stories that inspire them.

Thank you for being here at the beginning.

Yasmine

Founder & Designer, Kaya Berlin NYC