Businessman and TV personality, Ayan lends his expertise on Netflix’s Queer Eye Germany, an original series, as the design ace. He is part of the Fab 5 team promoting self-acceptance, community and transformation. The Fabs guide their mentees towards opening the door to a new and better chapter in life. Queer Eye Germany is the first international export of the US hit reality format.

Before SHOWZ, Ayan was Head of Creative for Villeroy & Boch, the largest manufacturer of premium ceramic and porcelain products in the world. At Villeroy & Boch, Ayan oversaw all creative for the brand’s worldwide table culture. Attending international trade fairs like Frankfurt’s Ambiente, Art Basel, Milan’s Salone del Mobile, Paris’s Maison & Objet, amongst others, Ayan became enchanted by the universal language of tableware and interior decoration. The kitchen and dining room are where friends and families come together, which has an inspiring power. Ayan’s creative motto is community by design, and his portfolio is rooted in concepts that foster spaces for interaction and collaboration.

Ayan has over a decade of experience in international commerce. He held global visual merchandising roles at Ermenegildo Zegna, the world’s largest luxury menswear brand. He spent over six years at the family-owned group and worked under renowned artist directors, including Stefano Pilati, Alessandro Sartori, and Z Zegna’s Paul Surridge. As a visual merchandiser designing attention-grabbing window and interior displays, Ayan started his career at Peek & Cloppenburg, one of Germany’s most popular department stores.

Ayan has a history of working at family-founded and operated legacy brands. He had the privilege of reporting directly to Nicolas Luc Villeroy, who served as a management Board member responsible for the Tableware Division. At Ermenegildo Zegna, Ayan was exposed to the visionary thought leadership of both Gildo and Paolo Zegna, who helped push the brand to become a world leader in luxury menswear. And at Peek & Cloppenburg, he was exposed to heritage-led innovation. These experiences gave Ayan a fundamental understanding of the importance of tradition, craftsmanship, and building family continuity, which he believes helps communities thrive.

A Turkish-German LGBTQ business leader, promoting the advancement of underrepresented groups is core to Ayan’s ethos. He serves as a mentor for the Fashion Council Germany and is a regular speaker at universities discussing how fashion can design from a diversity, equity, and inclusive (DEI) approach.