The silk road of the “Margian goddess”

Today we will talk with the beautiful Turkmen designer Shekera Akiniyazova about her work, about the creation of the amazing collection “Margian goddess”, about what her creative path was!
Sheker Akinesia – architect, member of architects ‘ Union of Turkmenistan, designer.

Shekera, what was Your path to the dream?
Everything related to design is mine. I’ve been making clothes since I was a child and I wanted to be a fashion designer. In the city, at that time there was no Institute for design, and I chose the profession of architect, which I am very happy about. This profession gave me the opportunity to engage in any type of design at a professional level. These are interior design, clothing and accessories design, painting and art photography. In my works the main focus is on our Turkmen embroidery
Environmental friendliness is an essential quality of all the products that I create. I am very interested in the topic of Eco-friendly clothing and Conscious consumption. I try to stick to the proverb “Better less is Better”. An important factor for me is the compliance of clothing with the status of “eco-frendli”, when the brand takes responsibility for the produced clothing. Turkmenistan is a country rich in cotton, and local craftswomen produce “keteni” silk fabrics. We have also established the production of different varieties of velvet in different colors and patterns, which is in high demand among our Turkmen women and in neighboring Muslim countries.

Tell us about your incredible collection “Margian goddess”. How was she born? What inspired You to do this?


The modern Turkmen woman is the Keeper of the hearth, a mother and a tireless worker with a rich inner world and a fine artistic taste, which Turkmen women inherited from their ancestors. Items of clothing and accessories made by craftsmen today create a stunning image of a woman in all the splendor of her beauty and uniqueness.


My Collection is called “Margian goddess”, which I was inspired by the country of Margiana (Margush) – a historical region, the center of which was ancient Merv.” This state, through which the great silk road passed, existed on the territory of modern Turkmenistan 5000 years ago. In the IV century BC, Margush and the entire Margian region was conquered by the army of Alexander the great and the city became known as Alexandria of Margian. Archaeologists have found historical finds of small statuettes about 18-20 cm high in a high headdress, made of terracotta at the excavations of Margiana. Scientists have identified them as the”Margian goddess”. Whose image has miraculously survived, has come down to us, having lain in the Turkmen land for more than four thousand years? An unknown goddess or priestess of a local temple? Or perhaps a Princess who lived in the land of Margush? This is the theme I chose for my clothing Collection.

Thank you to the organizer of Aspara FW Aidarkhan Kaliev for the invitation to participate in the International fashion week “Aspara”. This fashion week was attended by 60 designers from 32 countries. Turkmenistan participated for the first time, and I am happy to have this opportunity.

My show, this is a theme Show on the theme of the Margian Goddess. It is a bright show-where clothes and music, interior, beautiful and graceful girls give us the mood. All clothing is made of fabrics that are produced in Turkmenistan-keteni, velvet, they are embroidered and decorated with silk threads. Accessories and hats are collected and made by me personally using Turkmen embroidery. Jewelry-antique old Turkmen silver jewelry. There are also modern models in the show, such as velvet robes, trousers, vests and fancy clothes, which abound in embroidery and huge Turkmen ornaments.

I am very grateful to my team, who believed in me and my idea, with great enthusiasm and inspiration helped to do such a great job. They are all great professionals in their field and I want to introduce you to them. You can read about each of them on my instagram page. And I will post the full list of my team here.

“GODDESS OF MARGIANA” – Designer – Sheker Akiniyazova (instagram @designbysheker @sheker.akin_design) – Photographer – Sergey Mirzoev (instagram @mirzoev.sergey) – Videographer – Nazar Matsapaev (instagram @han_180391mslstudio) – Make-up artist – Chinar Atamuradova ( instagram @chynar.queens) – Choreographer – Mariya Matylevich ( instagram @mariya.matylevic) – Atelier – @kabamjan and @sennur_fashion_house – Location – @gala_chuli_official

Shekera, what would you wish to those creative people who love to create, but do not dare to completely give themselves up to their dream and make it their main occupation?
I am sure that you don’t need to be a genius to be creative, you just need to be yourself. And if you understand what your true desires are, it will automatically awaken your hidden creativity. If you have at some point realized that creativity is something that you are ready to do all your life, that makes you Wake up and live with pleasure, then this is Your vocation and there is no escape from it. Create and Enjoy Life!

Shekera, thank you for such an interesting conversation. You are a real example of a purposeful person who, no matter what, goes to his dream.
I wish you creative inspiration and we will be very happy to see You at our international Festival “By Hands of a woman”.

The Interviewer Amirova Alfiya
Head Of the international Festival “By Hands of a woman”.