Nadine Mustafa Milka Karaağaçlı has been designing jewelry for over a decade and has created some of the most exquisite pieces in the business. The label takes good consideration the clientele of all ladies who have an eagerness to explore new things and discover what’s beyond the eyes. Kismet by Milka jewelry is dreamed up of one-of-a-kind creations composed of diamonds and sapphires mostly – not to mention – gold as well. The lines have been sought relentlessly by celebrities such as Beyoncé, Madonna, and the finest Supermodels due to their breath-taking well-executed designs, and impeccable craftsmanship.
Milka was gracious enough to answer our questions about her work, lifestyle, and design school, among other things.
When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as a jewelry designer?
Ever since I was a kid, I always had creativity in my core. Specifically, I was interested in beads and beaded accessories. I used to spend endless hours designing and creating them. Over the years my career evolved in quite a different direction where I’ve spent more than a decade in advertising. After a while, I started feeling I had so much more to discover. Once I feel like I’m stalling in my comfort zone I start drifting away from things. To this day it is the same. Towards the end of my corporate career, I did not feel inspired anymore and I knew I had to drift towards a different path. I just took a leap of faith and found myself in this whirlwind of a journey that excites me every single day I wake up.
What was your biggest fear when going out and starting your line?
Leaving behind a years-long successful advertising career was a tough decision. I was certain that I had to move forward but the idea of it turning into reality was quite scary. There also was a financial crisis at that time when I started my line, so that was certainly intimidating as well. At the end of the day, these obstacles didn’t stop me from building my brand. From change comes growth and although change might be painful and challenging it has always gotten me miles further.
How would you describe your collections in general? and MONSTERS, in specific?
I’ve created over a dozen of collections in the past decade and all of them are quite different. Now that I look back, I see that the stories behind each collection are connected. There’s this evolving story that began with female empowerment and transformed into something bigger. Kismet began its design journey with a sleek and simple design style that was unique yet understated. We’ve grown as a brand, and have decided to create more sculptural, risqué pieces. I think it was the best risk that we’ve ever taken. It was a chance to explore our potential. I started by creating super simple and minimalistic designs that changed the jewelry game in Turkey. At that time, simple and refined was out of the norm in terms of jewelry, but right now it’s the polar opposite. Right now, everything is bolder, bigger, and unapologetic! The collections Monsters itself is the epitome of unapologetic. With Monsters we wanted people to bring out the unique character traits that lie within them. Monsters are all about defying stereotypes about how and what we should be. It is a reflection of our inner world. Anything that is suppressed by modern-day society is let out with Monsters. With this collection, we wanted every one of you to express the real you, with all your eccentricity, with your quirks, and with your flaws. The little monster figurines stand for these idiosyncratic details that make us who we are, that society tries to hide.
Why did you choose ‘Kismet’ to represent your brand?
Kismet represents a higher power that is believed to control what happens in the future. It is something bigger than us. But I interpret Kismet differently. I believe that it is in our power to build the future of our dreams. It is our choices that move us towards our Kismet, meaning the power lies within you. It is up to you to channel that drive to a direction that fulfills your wishes, shapes your Kismet positively. I believe in the power of positive energy, and I wanted my brand to be related to something close to my heart and culture. Kismet is a word that has a huge place in Turkish culture.
Where do you go for inspiration when working on a new line?
I mean everything inspires me. The city I live in, people on the streets, my travels, my past, the world we live in; there’s so much to be inspired by. Changing my environment always helps get my creative juices flowing so I love to travel to different parts of the world. Taking some time out in nature and appreciating its amazing beauty is also something I do. I also like going to bookstores and art galleries to explore different forms of art. I love getting inspired by another form of art and reflecting it into jewelry design. Experimenting with different materials, materials that I haven’t worked with also helps me create interesting designs. For instance, Monsters came out of this experimentation. We’ve never used colored precious gems like we’ve used in Monsters before, so that was refreshing. It also opened a new path for Kismet by Milka.
What is your favorite part about being a jewelry designer?
Being a jewelry designer makes me chase inspiration all the time. I get to see amazing places from all around the world through my brand while meeting amazing people who constantly inspire me. I’m always in work mode as a designer but that drives me and motivates me to create even more. Chasing inspiration gets you to a place you’ve never imagined. I also love working with gold, diamonds, and precious gems! I mean who wouldn’t! There are so many things to be grateful for in terms of the job I do but seeing my designs on some of the world’s most successful women and men makes all the struggles worth it. I mean starting I would’ve never imagined seeing my designs on names like Madonna, Kate Winslet, Beyonce, Rihanna, Meghan Markle, Paris Hilton, Cameron Diaz, Naomi Watts, Britney Spears, Anne Hathaway, and many more.
How do you want women to feel when wearing a piece of your jewelry brand?
While building my brand Kismet I wanted to create jewelry that I truly connected with. I believe that there’s something ethereal in the way jewelry can make you feel. I want women to express themselves with my jewelry, therefore all my designs carry deep meaning behind them. I want women to connect with these stories as well, besides the design itself. I believe that accessories change everything about an outfit. They’re the ingredient that defines your style. You might be wearing a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt but the jewelry you wear will show your true style to the outside world. I want people to feel bold, powerful, and expressive with my designs.
How do you evaluate success and achievement from your point of view?
Transformation and change are super important to me. The world is changing, people are changing so I believe that we must adapt to that change. My success is rooted in this transformative approach. You have to have a story, you have to do something bigger, something that challenges thoughts. Every single one of my designs reflects a certain story. I connect with my customers through my storytelling jewelry which people love. Everyone might have a different evaluation of success but as I’ve said my way of evaluating that is through the bond I have with my customers. But if you’re looking for something concrete, I mean we’ve grown so much as a brand. We have 11 mono-brand stores and more than 50 sales points across the globe, and we’re selected by world-renowned celebrities. We’ve just established our very own atelier which is exciting since we can push boundaries even more. With our atelier, we’re able to work with talented young artisans which makes me happy. It’s motivating to be able to help such talent. Thanks to them our craftsmanship has evolved to another level. Our pieces are much more structured and risqué compared to the past.
Do you call upon sustainability practices?
We do! We have something huge that’s coming and it’s all about sustainability and making use of electronic waste. It’s a never-before-seen kind of project in Turkey and we’re super proud to be behind it. Stay tuned to hear more from us soon on this very important development!
If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career, what would it be?
Beginning this journey was a huge leap of faith. It was a life-changing decision that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I left my career of 15 years behind to start Kismet by Milka and that decision was mentally challenging. It meant leaving behind fifteen years of hard work. The hardest thing to do is just let everything go but you must do it if you’ve found another passion. I would tell myself to stop worrying and hesitating, just begin, the rest will follow.
What advice would you give to young girls who look up to you and want to enter a career in design?
I would tell them to have courage, believe in themselves, and create their path. What I would say to young girls is to just keep moving forward, take every day one by one, don’t take yourself too seriously, and try to keep calm and overcome the obstacles that you’ll come across, because you will. Most importantly be creative and passionate about what you do, work hard, and search for inspiration all the time!
