For Sanu Sara Durmaz, fashion used to mean constantly buying something new. Durmaz started a fashion blog as a teenager and was active as an influencer on Instagram. "I really shopped a lot," admits the twenty-three-year-old. Today, she is committed to sustainability in the industry: she wants to set up a fashion show in Frankfurt under the title "Green Days". It is intended to replace the "Green Runway Show", which took place in 2022 as part of Frankfurt Fashion Week. In addition to fashion, the event will also focus on nutrition and health.
Durmaz radically changed her own behavior several years ago. When she became aware of the negative effects of unrestricted consumption on the environment and animal welfare, she decided not to buy new clothes for a year. Since then, she has primarily worn second-hand clothing or borrowed items. For the meeting, she combined a bright green blazer with a sequined miniskirt. She borrowed the blouse from her aunt.
Her agency Sanu is also committed to sustainability, developing social media marketing strategies for companies. Durmaz's definition of sustainability is: acting in a grandchild's capacity. In other words, in such a way that the grandchildren's generation also has a future.
Fair remuneration and short travel
The young entrepreneur takes care of the organization of the Green Days with three employees in addition to her actual work. Durmaz gets up every morning at 5.30 am. Currently, the program includes four "runway shows" in which street-ready fashion as well as haute couture will be shown. The audience – some invited guests such as influencers, some visitors who can buy one of the 100 tickets that go on sale – will also have the opportunity to buy fashionable items. There will be panel discussions and workshops, such as cooking or meditating together. She has agreed on a cooperation with Pro Sieben.
Durmaz books her models from an agency based in Butzbach, which is also committed to sustainability. This means, among other things, that the models live as close to the location as possible. In addition, it wants to pay fairly. Her models get 500 euros per show. That's more than most other organizers pay, says Durmaz, who herself is a model in front of the camera from time to time.
"I know it from other shows that the models there walk from A to B all day and don't even get anything to eat," says the young woman. This should be different at the Green Days. She also wants to differentiate herself through the choice of her models. Of course, she will bring classic beauties to the catwalk, but also older models or people with disabilities. "I want to show personalities," she says.
You can only learn from mistakes
When and where exactly the event will take place is not yet clear. She had three places in mind. One of them is the Hotel nhow in Frankfurt. And how does it finance the whole thing? She admits that at first she thought much bigger. "But then we came out at a cost of 500,000 euros," she laughs. That's why she is now planning much smaller. Talks with cooperation partners went well, she says.
Sanu Sara Durmaz wants to appeal above all to people from the region with her Green Days. Fashion and Frankfurt haven't really found each other yet. Especially since the idea of moving Fashion Week from the Spree to the Main is more reminiscent of a flying visit than a long-term love affair. The young Durmaz does not dispute this.
She plans with great confidence and is already looking forward to the coming year, in which the event should take place in any case and larger. And then Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne are waiting. A success of the Green Days will not fail due to the young woman's lack of self-confidence. Durmaz says she learns something new every day, has a great network and is not afraid to try new things. And: "I'm not afraid to make mistakes and learn from them."