Creating merch for Antioch’s Studios was fun, and it pulled us deeper into Bora Selim Gül’s orbit.
Who’s Selim when he’s not running a brand?
I travel abroad whenever I can. I’m pushing to my 50th country, but lately, I often end up visiting my favorite three. I’m stuck at 47. Some friends call me a storyteller, probably because I never shut up about things I like to talk about. I also write about culture and heritage, especially about my hometown Antakya and the cities that inspire me.
If your brand had a soundtrack, what three songs would be on it?
Kezzabi by Petit Prince (IF HE HAS NO FANS LEFT IN THIS WORLD, KNOW THAT I’M DECEASED!!)
Night Fever by Bee Gees
Imm el Jacket by Mashrou’ Leila
What’s on your moodboard right now (literally or in your head)?
Morning person or midnight hustler?
Midnight hustler, definitely. I make decisions, write, design at night. I think my most productive hours are between midnight and 2 AM. It’s only me time, though. I sleep on the idea, and if I still feel passionate about it in the morning, I go for it.
What pushed you to start this brand now?
Antioch’s Studios is actually a 2020 pandemic baby. It was always an on-and-off thing since my main work was in software. I shaped it more when I moved to Spain, then picked it up again in Turkey. After the 2023 earthquakes, I wasn’t ready to restart until I healed first, and only in 2025 did I feel able to truly look ahead.
Describe the first sketch/idea you had that made you think: “Ok, this is real.”
I’ve always liked giving places or ideas a small symbol. For me, the first idea was the plastic chair in 2020 because it captured something about my hometown and the region. At first, people questioned it, like “Out of all things, you chose this?” Then, in 2022, some found it funny, in a good way. Eventually, people even started sending me photos of plastic chairs they came across. Years later, when Bad Bunny’s 2025 album cover came out with two plastic chairs on it, the plastic chair suddenly became viral. At its core, the meaning was the same. I didn’t invent it. I just happened to notice it before it was way cool.
You worked with Reflect Studio on the merch — what was the wildest part of that process?
Honestly, the wildest part was that it felt effortless. There was nothing cutthroat —— kurtlar sofrası? :) —— about it, everyone was genuine, and finding common ground just came naturally. From my past experiences elsewhere, I thought there would be some friction in the process, but there wasn’t any.
Any special memory from our collab <3?
When Dicle (who was my contact from the RS Team) told me that Antioch’s Studios had become their love brand, it really meant a lot <3
Who do you imagine wearing your pieces first: your friends, strangers, or your mum? Or… your grandpa?
Even though I’m (almost) 27, I’ve always had friends in their 70s and 80s, both around me and in the cities I’ve lived in. After the earthquake, my grandfather especially wanted to make videos and interviews together to talk about his life, his feelings, and anything related to his hometown. Whenever I have the chance, I take him on trips, both in Turkey and abroad. We have a special bond. At the start of 2025, I asked him to model for the cap collection, and he agreed. After the shoot, he told me, “Thank you. It was always my dream to perform somewhere.” For the new T-shirt collection (our first in three years), he also wanted to take part and eventually became the main character of the short film.
What’s one cultural reference outsiders wouldn’t guess is behind your brand?
Even though my hometown Antakya and the Eastern Mediterranean are at the forefront, I think the atmosphere and storytelling style also reflect the influence of countries I’ve lived in before, like Colombia and Spain.
Finish the sentence: “In five years, Antioch’s is…”
Most people would answer this question with a city name and a fashion show. Five years ago, I couldn’t have imagined being where I am today or the direction things have taken. Right now, I think the only thing I can say is that in five years Antioch’s Studios will be back in my hometown Antakya. If we can rebuild this city, I’d love to create the community place I first began working on in 2022, which was lost after everything we went through. What I’m talking about is a much harder process than gaining recognition or holding on somewhere across the world. But for me, that’s exactly what makes it meaningful.
Last thing you saved on Instagram?
I don’t really save things on Instagram. I just take a screenshot and then completely forget about it. <3
Dream collab, no limits?
Bad Bunny!!!!!! I love the way he turns his love for his homeland Puerto Rico into a global movement, not just in music but in fashion, visuals, and everything he touches. He carries his island with him everywhere, making sure the world feels that pride. And of course, my Balkan girlie, Dua Lipa! Even as a global star, I admire how she keeps her hometown Kosovo close to her heart. That balance between worldwide recognition and staying rooted in where you come from is exactly what inspires me too.