The reality of constantly rising summer temperatures is that women want and need shorts.
“They’re comfortable with the 50-degrees [Celsius] summer,” said Ece Ege, holding up a pair of abbreviated ones during a showroom appointment for Dice Kayek’s spring collection.
But while she might be ready to skimp on hem lengths, the Paris- and Istanbul-based designer refuses to compromise on fabrics: They were cut from a sumptuous wool-silk cloth.
Same with the crisp cottons that are her other summer staple. Ege couldn’t source a poplin with the right “voice” — the sound it made in her hand was an ASMR delight — so she had it, along with the cotton base for her eyelet embroidery, produced especially by a weaver friend.
Easy dressing was the name of the game this season, with shorts in two lengths, off-the-shoulder dresses, boxy cotton shirts and eyelet separates galore. Even dressier options, like a double-breasted blazer or a tank top minidress cut from a lush silk, felt uncomplicated.
Clearly, there are plenty for whom Dice Kayek’s pragmatic and pretty approach resonates.
Business is booming, increasing by nearly half since 2021, further bolstered by a series of pop-up events. Two are ongoing, at the Printemps Haussmann department store until Oct. 16 and in New York, running through the end of the year at Doors on West Broadway. Another is slated for February in Dubai.
The brand is also making inroads in the U.S., which is its biggest market and accounts for 30 percent of its turnover. It recently made its debut with pre-fall 2023 at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco, Houston and, soon, Boca Raton.
The next step could be a store — why not in Melrose Place, Ege said. “The weather is good, people are chic — perfect match,” she said.
