Intro
Meet Janette Papas, the artistic genius behind the fashion label Güç. Boasting a tapestry of cultural influences derived from her Turkish, Greek, and Arabic heritage, Janette's odyssey began in the enchanting city of Vienna, Austria, where she cultivated her fervor for fashion design. Throughout her career in the fashion industry, Janette has occupied several notable roles. She worked as a production assistant at Koché, a design assistant at Valentine Gauthier, a fabric and trims development & studio assistant at Jacquemus, a studio coordinator at Afterhomework Paris, and a fabric buying and development assistant at Mugler. Following these valuable experiences, her natural progression was to establish her own fashion label. In this interview, we chatted to her about building her brand.
interview by Ezgi Atay
Inside the World of GÜÇ
Translated from Turkish Güç means power/strong exactly how I want my wearers to feel.
Q1.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background. Who is Janette Papas?
Talking about myself or describing myself is probably one of the questions I try to avoid the most (lol). I am the founder and designer of the brand Güç. I was born in Austria, Vienna with my family being Turkish/Greek/ Arabic. I did my fashion design studies in Berlin. Directly after my graduation, I moved to Paris where I am based now.
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Image: Janette Papas wearing GÜÇ
Q2.
What is the story behind your brand's name?
Güç is my mother’s maiden name. My mother was born in a small village in Turkey at the border of Syria. Translated from Turkish Güç means power/strong exactly how I want my wearers to feel.
Image: Janette's grandma in Turkey wearing GÜÇ
Q3.
When and how did you decide to launch your own fashion brand?
I actually always wanted to start my own brand, and already in university, I knew one day I will do it. But first I wanted to gain work experience. It's hard starting your own brand and even harder if you have never had any professional experience in the fashion industry.
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Q4.
Which of your designs embodies your personality the most?
My main inspirations are my origins and my cultural background. „Everyday“ clothing so commonly found in the Turkish town my family is from serves as garment references for Güç. So I wouldn’t say that my designs embody my personality but more my observations.
Video: GÜÇ Tutorial
Q5.
What are your goals and plans for the future of the brand?
My ultimate goal is to establish Güç in the fashion industry and promote conscious consumption and awareness.
