Good People of vitruta: Özge Akpınar

Welcome to Good People of vitruta, Özge! Our first question is always the same: Who is Özge Akpınar? How did it all start, how’s it going, and what are you currently up to?

Thank you! I’m so happy to be part of such a genuine and refreshing community. Everything began during my childhood in Cihangir, where our neighbors were people involved in different forms of art, like music, painting, and dance. I grew up witnessing the friendships of a community that enjoyed life, traveling, good food, and being engaged in creative fields.

While pursuing a Double Major in Business and Media & Visual Arts at Koç University, I started working for magazines. After graduation, I occasionally collaborated with boutique agencies in graphic design, but my main goal was to carve my own path as a freelancer.

Around two years ago, I founded Cocontento, where I provide collective creative and corporate services alongside other freelancers from various fields. When I need a helping hand, I prioritize working with trustworthy people I can rely on and collaborate with. I’m a creative director still at the beginning of my journey. I’m fully aware it’s a long one, and I try to transform every anxiety I feel into a compassionate excitement as much as possible.

Although I love improving myself in areas I’m unfamiliar with and adopting new routines, a typical day where I feel most peaceful and productive revolves around what I call my “3 M’s”: work, kitchen, and music.

It seems that one of the biggest inspirations for you in the creative field is music. What have you been working on lately, and what are your goals for the upcoming season?

Although music has been an important part of my life since a very young age, it turned into a passion I had to set aside to explore other fields. For the past year, I’ve been trying to rediscover its place in my life. While I want to focus on production and songwriting behind the scenes, I must admit that what brings me the most joy is being behind the decks at small gatherings with friends. Setting a goal to perform at larger events might be a good step towards self-improvement at this point.

In the upcoming months, some of the lyrics I’ve written will move on to the composition stage. I want to keep evolving in this field and continue creating without losing my courage.

We’ve been talking a lot about your creative pursuits, but I know you’ve spent the last six months traveling to get away from the city for a while. How did those trips go, and what did they bring into your life?

As someone working remotely, the idea of working from really far away has always been on my mind. To step out of my comfort zone and to see if a different lifestyle was possible, I decided to spend time in different cities abroad with my dog between last year’s end and this summer. The most important takeaway was realizing that the life I dream of might actually be one where one foot stays in Istanbul while the other is exploring somewhere abroad.

Although I know I can never leave Istanbul completely, I redefined what it means to feel at home for me. Aside from new friendships, music, food, and paths traveled, I also got to see some familiar faces I missed dearly. And after all that movement, I came to understand how valuable it is to pause—to just be still.

I set out on this journey with a sense of restlessness I didn’t know how to overcome, constantly needing to redefine my standards even within my own comfort zone. Now, I’m striving to identify myself beyond my work and capabilities in this turbulent period. I think when you go somewhere unfamiliar, you end up being alone with your true self. Since coming back, I’ve been reflecting on whether that core self is happy, peaceful, and which layers are still covering it up.

What have you been reading, listening to, and watching lately? We’d love to get a few recommendations while we have the chance. :)

One of my favorite things to do is making lists, so I’d be more than happy to share what comes to mind:

Books:

• André Gide - School for Wives
• Italo Calvino - The Nonexistent Knight
• John Berger - And Our Faces, My Heart, Brief as Photos

Music: Lately, I’ve been into Rai music, as I’m working on a set in that genre. :) Some of my most-played artists over the past few months include Azoto, Takuya Nakamura, Σtella, Susana Estrada, and Ayla Algan.

Movies and TV shows: I’m still under the spell of The Bear’s second season, and I recently watched the Anthony Bourdain documentary. My humble suggestion: don’t binge-watch them together—let them breathe on their own. As for series, my other current favorites are Succession, Beef, and Lovesick.

For movies, both recent discoveries and old revisits, these will likely hold onto the excitement of my first watch for a while longer:

Chungking Express, Time to Love, A Fine Morning, Mon Roi, and Love, Mark and Death

Since Zizu can't answer our questions, let’s ask you instead: What are some of your favorite things to do together in Istanbul? :)

We love hopping on our bike and riding as far as we can that day, meeting up with friends, and rediscovering Istanbul through the changing seasons. In the summer, we try to make our way to the Princes’ Islands or spend time by the sea whenever we can. In the fall, we go mushroom hunting in the forest, and in the spring, we pick edible flowers. People familiar with our little adventures often say Zizu is a lucky dog, but honestly, I think I’m the lucky one. Zizu teaches me how to enjoy spending more time in nature and find joy in the little things. I named him after Captain Zissou from the movie The Life Aquatic because I dreamed of one day sailing the sea together. And now, it feels like I’m navigating life with a captain right beside me!

And finally, a question that’s about us. Which brands do you like the most at vitruta?

The brands I like the most at vitruta are Lar Studio, especially for their recent collections and colors, Vatka Co., and of course, RAINS! :)