Yaren OZ

Yaren Öz was born in 1983 in Kocaeli, Turkey. In 2003, she graduated from Uludağ University, Department of Computer Design. After graduation, she worked for Olay TV and a local newspaper in Istanbul, playing an active role in producing various publications and guides.

In 2004, she began her career at Ekonomi Publishing Inc. as a Visual Director. Over the years, she actively contributed to many projects and events in one of the industry’s leading institutions. After approximately 13 years of service, she was appointed as the General Manager in 2017. In January 2019, she founded her own company, Grafikare Tasarım. She is married and a mother of one.

Through her creative designs, Yaren Öz helps brands shape their corporate identity, strengthen their presence with new ideas, and make a lasting impression on social media through striking strategies. In addition to founding Grafikare Tasarım, she continues to serve as both its lead designer and creative director.

So where did this passion for design come from?

Well, let me tell you in my own words, away from all the corporate jargon…

I’m from Hereke – yes, the small coastal town in Kocaeli, just before Gebze, right on the edge of Istanbul. My whole family is rooted there. No need to go deep into our ethnic background: Circassian, immigrant, Laz, a bit of everything – we are just from Hereke. And that alone connects me to art.

Hereke is known worldwide for its legendary handwoven carpets. Being the daughter of two carpet artisans, you don’t really have a choice but to absorb the art. It seeps into your soul – through colorful silk threads, you begin to understand harmony and elegance. If you also learned to tie knots at a young age, then there’s no turning back.

As a child, I started drawing. My first muse was my father’s artwork – paintings he made using burned tobacco embers. I couldn’t touch fire, so I settled for pencil drawings and began recreating whatever images I could find at home. I proudly displayed them on school boards. Poetry came next. What can I say? It’s the Hereke effect – it almost forces you into artistry.

At one point, I even considered singing, but thank goodness I gave that up – not every talent is meant to bloom. I played guitar instead. Then one day, I spotted an old sewing machine my mom had brought from Germany. With some sneaky practice, I finally received permission to use it and started designing clothes from leftover fabrics. I even fixed my school skirt so it wouldn’t fly in the wind – a neighbor saw it, asked for the pattern, and my mom was shocked.

As years went by, I found myself torn between disciplines – music, drawing, sewing – but realized they all came from the same root: design. Despite being in a science-focused track in high school (which I finished second in my class), my heart was always in the arts. According to YÖK, that curiosity was linked to mathematical intelligence – who knew?

But I had made up my mind. I would write, draw, deconstruct and rebuild. And yes, even redesign household items (though maybe I should stop doing that…).

Did I make it? Yes, I did. With my family’s support, I became the artist in the family (even if I left carpets behind). I started designing wedding invitations for relatives, business cards for new ventures, and flyers for the local grocery store.

Was I on the right path? Absolutely.

Start small, be patient, and grow into big things.

Did I walk the path? Yes.

Am I still walking it? With pride.

And I will continue walking it.

With love,
Yaren Öz