20th Anniversary of Özlem Tuna Brand

Production continues in Istanbul, and we also started exporting 80% of our designs and products abroad. Our porcelains have flown to many cities around the world, including Japan. Japan is one of the countries I have a passion to see, and my designs met the Japanese user before I did. Wonderful, isn't it?

My designs meet their users in 8 different cities around the world.

We are very careful to use local materials and local production facilities. We strive to bring my designs to life by combining the small and traditional production facilities in Istanbul with technology.

Designs, productions, fairs, exhibitions, and exports... When I look at it, it seems like a dazzling, glittering designer life, doesn't it? But in the background, there are 12-13 hour workdays, tears that I try not to shed too much but sometimes can't hold back, sleepless nights, a lot of failures, stubbornness, and decisions made with crazy courage every day of the week. You find out that not everything you do is right, but it is valuable to have the courage to try and move forward with what you have learned.

I work while keeping in mind that I am building the roots of tomorrow with every design I make.

WE DESIGN THE ROOTS OF TOMORROW...

Before deciding to produce the things I design, now I question and think about them from three - four different angles.

As I leave behind 20 years, I observe that our world, climate, and resources are rapidly changing and depleting, and that our responsibilities are increasing.

This endless learning and discovery journey I have been on for 20 years has prepared my today.

Fantastic! I am grateful...

I see that it is important to work hard, be patient, never give up, and never lose excitement to keep a design firm running in the region I live in.

And to keep learning...

I love carrying the excitement of always being an apprentice in life.

Listening...

To listen more carefully to the people around me and discover how valuable learning is...

To not be able to sleep at night out of excitement... To join the city and life with the first rays of morning...

To increase the number of questions...

To find solid companions to realize dreams, to try to understand to strengthen communication...

To increase the number of my companions...

Özlem Tuna Design is an amazing team of 11 people besides me.

And as I prepare for my 20th year, I wrote a book that describes my design journey. Writing, designing, and producing a book became such a part of me that we obtained publishing documents. The first book I made turned into an exhibition that contained interesting experiences. I thank Zeynep Bodur Okyay of the KALE brand for making it possible for me to hold a unique exhibition.

And we are starting our 20th year with a very important innovation. We have renewed our corporate logo.

We continue our path with a logo designed by graphic designer Yeşim Ünal.

We now have a graphic language that describes the dynamic and strong structure of ÖZLEM TUNA DESIGN that is determined and knows what it wants. 

My future dreams?

New adventures...

Designing usage objects in our living spaces that will give us new experiences... I have started to design surprising, playful, colorful, open-to-experience, and emotionally stimulating areas in our work and home lives.

I am setting sail for new seas.

Lighting, furniture, and of course, publishing...

With the team I have built, we dream of making art and design books.

Maybe some of these books will inspire new exhibitions.

Ah, we have a lot of work to do! Finding answers to the questions we put in front of us... Creating solutions by designing new ideas for the problems that arise...

I love the dreams that keep me alive, young, and excited.

I am lucky; I move forward with teammates who believe in me, give me strength, and work tirelessly. 

Özlem Tuna