I was born in İznik, a quiet lakeside town in north-west Turkey, known for one defining color — the deep cobalt blue of its heritage tiles. As a child, I spent afternoons in a small studio painting those intricate patterns onto clay before they were fired. That blue never left me. Today, it lives on in the Pera Atelier brand. 

Pera Atelier takes its name from Pera, Istanbul’s historic craft quarter — once the heart of artisanal excellence in the Eastern Mediterranean. In the late nineteenth century, its ateliers were home to master makers: dressmakers, silversmiths, and craftsmen who created one piece at a time, each signed with pride. That philosophy defines my work today — a return to slow, intentional craftsmanship in a world of mass production. 

I come from a family that made things by hand. My mother sewed our clothes on a Singer machine — a skill I admired but never learned at the time. It became my greatest regret.

In 2020, during the stillness of the pandemic, I bought my first sewing and embroidery machine. What began as curiosity quickly became something deeper — a sense of calm, purpose, and creative identity. That is when Pera Atelier was born.

Today, every piece is handmade in my Dubai studio. I create custom embroidery and personalised gifts in the UAE, including embroidered tote bags, monogrammed pouches, personalised baby blankets, embroidered wall art, keychains, wedding favors, personalised luxury gifts for weddings, babyshowers, birthdays, graduations and bespoke branding pieces for cafés, Pilates studios, and small businesses. 

I work primarily with premium fabrics sourced from Turkey, where centuries-old textile traditions continue in the looms of Bursa silk, Denizli cotton, and Şile linen. These materials are chosen not for trend, but for longevity — natural, tactile, and quietly luxurious. 

Each personalized order is made from scratch — cut, sewn, embroidered, and finished by hand within days. Every name, date, monogram, or message is embroidered with intention, creating a piece that is entirely personal and impossible to replicate.

Pera Atelier is built on the idea of slow craft in a fast-moving city like Dubai — where meaningful, handmade objects still hold value. This is not mass production. It is bespoke embroidery, made to order, made for one.

And perhaps most of all, it is personal.
A continuation of what I wish I had learned sooner.
A quiet tribute to where I come from.

Stitched slowly. Kept always.

— Banu.