Unveiling the Duality of Darkness and Light: An Interview with Aizhan Beissembayeva, Founder of Dark'N'Core and Arevik Hamar

At first glance, the two brands of Kazakh designer Aizhan Beissembayeva differ to the point of being oxymoronic. Arevik Hamar, a couture house which has been popular among Kazakhstan's elite for the past five years, emphasizes conservative feminine elegance.

Kazakh designer Aizhan Beissembayeva is a woman of contrasts. On the one hand, she is the founder of Arevik Hamar, a couture house that has been popular among Kazakhstan's elite for the past five years. The brand emphasizes conservative feminine elegance, hewing closely to traditional notions of Kazakh beauty and style. On the other hand, Beissembayeva is also the founder of Dark'N'Core, a new label that made an explosive debut at Tashkent Fashion Week this fall. The label offers a dangerous yet sophisticated Berlin edge that is wholly new for Central Asian fashion.

Beissembayeva's two brands differ to the point of being oxymoronic. But for the designer, they are equally ensconced in her DNA. "Dark'N'Core and Arevik Hamar are two sides of the same coin," she says. "They are the canvas upon which I translate the darkness and light that I have possessed since my childhood."

In the wake of Dark'N'Core's Tashkent show, which was received with thunderous applause by a diverse international audience, I sat down with Beissembayeva in her Astana showroom to talk her journey in fashion, the stark contrast in her brands, and Dark'N'Core's unique "intelligent dark" aesthetic.

From Economics to Artistry

"I have been involved in fashion since I was born," says Beissembayeva. "I was sewing with my aunt when I was a small child and made my first gown when I was five. But I originally thought that fashion should not be a profession; I viewed it as my hobby. I finished my studies in economics and took a corporate job making budgets. I found it really boring, and after I realized that the office environment was not for me, I founded my atelier."

A Tale of Two Brands

"I'm most well-known for Arevik Hamar, which I've had for several years," says Beissembayeva. "What inspired you to diversify and launch Dark'N'Core?"

"I was recently studying at a Russian fashion academy for nine months," she explains. "When I was making patterns there, my teachers said 'these are not something for Arevik - this is a totally new concept.' I realized that in order to express myself through these new designs I needed to start a second brand."

"How would you describe the difference between Arevik, a couture brand, and the more avant-garde Dark'N'Core?" I ask.

"For Arevik Hamar I am using very sensitive and expensive fabrics such as silk and cashmere," says Beissembayeva. "With Dark'N'Core, I usually use leather and different types of cotton, which I manipulate in unique ways. Dark'N'Core is mainly about working with forms. I call it 'intelligent dark' fashion."

"The audiences for my brands are completely different; they're listening to different music and living completely different lifestyles," she continues. "But I am living both ways! When I was born, my parents first called me Arevik, which means 'sun' in the Armenian language. Two years later, they started calling me Aizhan, which means the 'moon.' These names describe my different sides, and even my interests in fashion today. Arevik is my 'sun' brand, and 'Dark'N'Core' is my 'moon' brand."

The Tashkent Debut

"Tell me about the Dark'N'Core show in Tashkent," I say. "The collection felt very cohesive; what was your vision?"

"I called the collection 'Materium,'" says Beissembayeva. "For me 'Materium' is all about being connected to subtle energies within the universe. When people have this connection, they have qualities like intuition, clarity, willpower, passion, and wisdom. These were all represented by the fabrics and colors in the show. For example, silver represented intuition, white represented wisdom, a corset represented passion, structured leather stood for willpower, and clarity was referenced by root-like forms that extended off dresses or wrapped around the models' arms."

"I love post-apocalyptic themes," she adds. "The collection was partially inspired by Diva Plavalaguna, the opera diva from The Fifth Element [an apocalyptic 1997 French sci-fi film with a cult following]. I like her persona because she is talented, she also has responsibility, and she is not scared of anything. She also has all of these serpentine connectors coming off her head, which you see referenced in the collection."

Looking Forward

"What's next for Dark'N'Core and Arevik Hamar?" I ask.

"I want to continue to grow both brands, participating in events in Kazakhstan and also returning to Tashkent Fashion Week," says Beissembayeva. "When I debuted Dark'N