Alt Üst is founded by Selen Konuk (architect), Selin Karcı (industrial designer) and Şahin Mesrur Paksoy (industrial designer) in 2019. However, the groundwork for Alt Üst had been laid in late 2018 during the trio’s visits to the flea market. That’s where they encountered the piles of discarded and second-hand clothing items for the first time and what has been the most important inspiration for the brand. This encounter made the team realize the potential of these discarded resources and raised the question of a product’s shelf life. 

The name of the brand is also inspired by flea market visits. One of the meanings of the phrase Alt Üst in Turkish is turning something upside down and the brand uses it to describe the action of turning piles of clothing in the flea market upside down. Also, ‘alt’ means bottom, and ‘üst’ means top in Turkish.