Hande Yener has spent more than 25 years as one of Turkey's best known pop artists, reinventing her sound and her image from one era to the next. All that reinvention left a wardrobe behind: stage costumes, music-video looks and the pieces that marked the turning points of a long career. Rather than leave that collection in storage, Yener has turned it into STAR Gene, an Amsterdam-based project that moves selected pieces from her personal archive back into circulation as a living, evolving collection.

The idea at the center of it is simple, and Yener states it plainly: a garment does not have to be new to feel current. STAR Gene brings together fashion, music and memory around the principles of reuse, longevity and reinterpretation. In practice that takes the shape of a concept store on Herenstraat in Amsterdam, where Yener's own archive sits alongside a curated selection of authentic designer vintage, part shop, part living archive, part gallery. 'I don't believe something has to be new to feel current,' she says. 'Sometimes a piece becomes even more meaningful because of the story it already carries and the opportunity it has to become part of a new one.'

Circular fashion is one of the threads Fashion Verified follows most closely, so we put eight questions to Yener for an FVM Verified Q&A. Her answers appear below, lightly edited.

STAR Gene gives 25 years of your fashion a second life as a living archive. How did the project begin, and what made a circular approach feel right rather than simply storing or retiring the pieces?

I have never been someone who likes to stand still. Not in music, not in fashion, and certainly not in the way I think about the future. Over the years, I built a wardrobe that became much more than a collection of clothes. It became a reflection of different versions of myself. Some pieces were worn on stage, others were part of moments that shaped my visual identity. But I never liked the idea of beautiful things simply disappearing into storage. STAR Gene started with a very simple question: what if we stopped treating fashion as something that belongs to one particular moment? I wanted to open that world to other people. Not as a museum of my past, but as something alive, something people could discover, wear, and make their own. And honestly, I find that much more exciting than keeping everything behind closed doors.

Twenty-five years is a lot of looks. How did you decide what belongs in the archive, and were there pieces you were surprised to find you had held on to?

The interesting thing about looking back at 25 years of fashion is realising how many different people you have been along the way. I have always been drawn to pieces with character. Something unusual, something daring, something that makes you look twice. For STAR Gene, it was never just about selecting the most recognisable looks. It was about finding pieces that still have something to say today. And yes, there are definitely moments when I look at something and think, 'Did I really wear that?' But usually, a second later, I think, 'Actually, I could make that work again!' That is what I love about fashion. Sometimes the pieces you least expect become the most interesting ones.

For readers who know you as a pop icon first, how would you describe your relationship to fashion across those years? Has the way you approach clothes shifted as the music did?

I have never believed that a pop star needs to look a certain way. For me, fashion has always been part of the performance, sometimes even before the music starts. I have worn things that people loved, things they questioned, and probably things they did not understand at the time. And that is perfectly fine with me. I do not think fashion should always make people comfortable. Sometimes it should make them curious. Of course, my style has changed over the years, just as my music has. But my instinct is still the same. I follow what excites me, not what is expected of me. I would rather be remembered for taking a risk than for playing it safe.

Circular fashion is central to what we cover at Fashion Verified. In practical terms, what does a living archive mean day to day for STAR Gene? Do pieces get reworn, remade, resold, exhibited?

For me, a living archive is the opposite of something untouchable. At our Amsterdam concept store, we bring together pieces from my personal fashion history with a curated selection of authentic designer vintage. These are clothes meant to be discovered, styled, worn, and appreciated again. I love the idea that someone can walk into STAR Gene without knowing anything about my music and fall in love with a piece simply because it speaks to them. And someone else might recognise something connected to my career and feel an entirely different emotion. That combination is what makes the concept interesting. We are not trying to recreate the past. We are giving people the freedom to reinterpret it.

Is there one piece in the archive that carries the most history for you, and what is the story behind it?

Choosing one piece would almost feel unfair to the others! My wardrobe has followed me through so many different chapters, and each one has its own energy. What fascinates me is that sometimes the pieces you remember most are not necessarily the most expensive or extravagant ones. They are the ones connected to a particular feeling, a moment backstage, an unexpected creative decision, or a performance that stayed with you. I think that is something people often forget about fashion. Its emotional value can be completely different from its price tag. And sometimes, the most extraordinary pieces are the ones with the most unexpected stories.

Sustainability means very different things to different labels. What does it specifically mean for STAR Gene, and what would you want other artists or brands to take from the model?

I think we need to stop confusing newness with creativity. Something does not automatically become more interesting just because it was produced yesterday. For STAR Gene, sustainability starts with appreciating what already exists. The craftsmanship, the design, the individuality, and the work that went into creating a piece in the first place. I do not want to pretend that one project can solve every problem in the fashion industry. But I do believe we can influence the way people think about consumption. Buying less, choosing better, discovering vintage, and experimenting with what you already own can all be incredibly creative. I would love to see more artists looking at their wardrobes not as something disposable, but as something with potential. Sometimes you do not need another collection. You need another perspective.

STAR Gene is a Turkish project with an international story. How has it been received at home versus abroad, and where would you like to take it next?

Turkey is where my story began, but I have never wanted my creativity to exist within geographical boundaries. Amsterdam felt like an exciting place to introduce STAR Gene to an international audience. It is a city with its own strong relationship to individuality, design, and vintage culture. What I find especially interesting is that people discover the brand for different reasons. Some know me as Hande Yener. Others simply see a designer piece they love. And that is exactly what I want. Of course, my history is part of STAR Gene's identity, but I want the brand to develop its own voice, its own community, and its own place within international fashion. I do not want STAR Gene to be interesting only because it belongs to me. I want it to be interesting because of what it represents.

Is there anything you are working on now, a release, an exhibition, a collaboration, that readers should keep an eye out for?

Do you really think I would reveal all my surprises already? Anyone who knows me knows that my mind is never quiet. There is always another idea, another concept, another possibility waiting to become something real. And right now, we have a lot of exciting things in development. But I like keeping a little mystery. The unexpected has always been part of who I am, and I want STAR Gene to have that same spirit. What I can say is that we are thinking far beyond a single store or a single collection. We want to build something that encourages people to look at fashion differently, something that celebrates individuality rather than conformity. I believe fashion should make people feel something. It should challenge, surprise, and inspire. And as for what is coming next? You will have to wait and see. I promise I will not make it boring.

STAR Gene is based in Amsterdam. Hande Yener is at @handeyener on Instagram.

Images courtesy of STAR Gene. Photography by Aytekin Yalçın.