From Passion to Enterprise: Kübra Uysal’s Journey with Fersaf Design
From Passion to Enterprise: Kübra Uysal’s Journey with Fersaf Design
June 26, 2026 | Sedanur Albas
Kübra Uysal discovered her passion for fashion design at the age of 16. Today, she runs Fersaf Design, a Gaziantep-based brand specializing in custom-made abayas and evening gowns that serves customers across Türkiye and abroad.
Creating her own designs from a young age, Kübra quickly noticed growing interest from those around her. Encouraged by this demand, she decided to turn her talent into a source of income.
The early days were not easy. Without a sewing machine of her own, she relied on the equipment available at the fashion design centre where she was training to bring her designs to life. Rather than taking financial risks, she chose to grow gradually, reinvesting every sale back into her work. Over time, she purchased her own sewing machine and eventually opened her first shop.
Like many entrepreneurs in the region, Kübra faced major challenges following the devastating earthquakes of 2023. After her family home was damaged, she was forced to leave Gaziantep with her family for several weeks, cancelling orders and temporarily pausing production. Despite the disruption, she never considered giving up. Returning to her workshop and resuming production became part of rebuilding her life after the disaster.
At a time when support was especially important for women-owned businesses recovering from the earthquakes, Kübra joined the Building Markets network through the "Empowering Women-Owned MSEs in Earthquake-Affected Regions in Türkiye" project, generously supported by Islamic Relief USA. Through one-on-one mentoring sessions, Kübra gained practical skills in financial management, pricing, and business operations. The sessions helped her better understand the value of her work and gave her the confidence to take the next step. She applied for a business grant and was awarded USD 5,000, which she used to invest in new machinery and increase her production capacity. She also formally registered her business through Building Markets' registration support services. Today, Fersaf Design serves customers across Türkiye and beyond, with revenue increasing by around 30% and serves customers across Türkiye through online sales channels and has fulfilled orders in Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq.
Looking ahead, Kübra hopes to grow Fersaf Design into a recognized brand and create more opportunities for women. She already works with women artisans on embroidery and embellishment and hopes to expand her team in the future.
Her story has already inspired others. Two of her friends have started their own brands after seeing what she was able to build. For Kübra, that is one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
This project is being implemented with the generous support of Islamic Relief USA. Any views expressed herein are solely those of Building Markets.
