A fashion designer whose clients have included Lady Gaga has swapped creating glitzy outfits for making face masks for frontline key workers amid the coronavirus crisis.
Zeynep Kartal and her twin sons have made 1,000 masks for key workers and volunteers at Manchester City Council and Urban Outreach in Bolton, who are creating food parcels for needy families and carrying out other vital work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zeynep, whose company is based in the heart of Manchester city centre, lists pop stars, soap stars and celebs including Lady Gaga and American actress Lindsay Lohan among her clientele, and she dressed former Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn in a stunning bespoke gown for the National Television Awards 2020 where she scooped Best Serial Drama Performance.
Sixteen-year-old twins Emre and Berke wanted to do something positive to help in the current crisis so they suggested to their mum that the three of them could turn their hand to making facemasks and they have been making the masks at their home in Sale.
The trio have used a design already employed in hospitals and hospital-grade fabric, cutting them out by hand and then sewing them by machine.
The caring family wanted to split the masks between Bolton, where Zeynep is involved in the first Bolton Fashion and Lifestyle Festival, and Manchester City Council.
Urban Outreach founder Dave Bagley said the charity was 'bowled over' by the donation.
“Who would have thought that face masks would cause us to be so grateful and yet now something like this just reassures volunteers that they can safely work with us,” he said.
“Without ever meeting Zeynep, she steps in at the top of the coolest donation to date.
"Magic is how I’m seeing the creativity and generosity of so many people. This is how we do community.”
Zeynep, 47, said: “I am so proud of my two children for using their time wisely while we are in lockdown.
"I want to teach my kids not to be selfish and to always ask themselves how they can help others in hard times.”
Zeynep has showcased her designs at London Fashion Week shows and New York Fashion Week.
Vogue Fashion Night Out in 2013 was her first event and
soon after London Fashion Week made contact with the designer asking her to attend her first LFW show.
Zeynep's talent was first discovered at the age of 10 when she attended a local sewing course in her Turkish birthplace of Bursa, beating designers more than twice her age to win an award for her intricate skills.
After completing a degree in fashion design, she spent 19 years working in production, marketing, design and textile positions within the fashion industry.
