Seda Mahmutoğlu
I am a graduate in Tourism and Hospitality Management. After working in tourism in Muğla, Marmaris, and Alaçatı, I realized my dream of returning to the village after a long corporate career in Izmir.
Since my childhood during the days of transhumance, I have always been fascinated by the hardworking and creative nature of Hemşin women, along with their love for colors. Hemşin headscarves and Hemşin socks were two elements that showcased their tastes. The harmony of colors, patterns... I used to admire the socks my mother knitted, and back then, I would draw those motifs myself, color them, and try to create new things.
"Knitting socks" was one of the most important activities after women worked in difficult conditions both at home and outside. Amidst all their heavy tasks, this intricate visual world always drew me in. When I returned from my city life in my youth, I dedicated a corner of our shop to support and showcase their creations, aiming to continue this tradition. These socks, made with great effort, consisting of various examples, motifs, and colors that both I and many of my friends love to wear in the city and the village, are like a relic from my childhood.
To contribute to women, to bring the old and local to the modern, I enthusiastically established the Mora store with a collective spirit. What started with just my mother's socks now reaches nearly forty women and provides support to them.
Mora