Each year on International Women’s Day and throughout Women’s History Month, the world celebrates women who have broken barriers in boardrooms, courtrooms, and political arenas. But power should not be limited to positions of authority alone. It is equally present in the way a woman carries herself, in the unspoken confidence with which she inhabits her body, and in her unapologetic embrace of femininity. Strength can be intellectual, professional, and political—but it can also be sensual, expressive, and deeply personal. In that quiet space, sensuality is sovereign, not spectacle.
Maryse Selit, a New York attorney and fashion model who walked Runway 7 during New York Fashion Week 2026, tells Harper’s Bazaar that Seda Oturan—the creative force behind 25TH HOUR LINGERIE—stands apart for designs that capture the intersection of strength, sensuality, and empowered femininity.
During the interview, Maryse reflected on the dual worlds she inhabits. “I occupy two spaces that are often perceived as opposites. In the courtroom, power is measured in preparation, mastery of the law, and the intellectual authority with which one presents a case. In fashion, it is often reduced to appearance or sexuality. Yet the two are far more connected than people imagine. Strength and femininity are not contradictions—they are complements—and it is precisely this intersection that Seda Oturan captures in her exquisite lingerie designs.”
Wearing Confidence
Silk panels glide across the body with quiet precision. Lace traces the waist and hips with architectural delicacy. Sculpted silhouettes enhance curves rather than conceal them. While the craftsmanship is meticulous, the intention is emotional and empowering
Maryse states that she finds wearing Seda’s pieces does something subtle yet powerful to her as a woman: it shifts her posture, her energy, her self-awareness and, most importantly, her confidence. And, as someone who’s spent much of her professional life in legal settings traditionally dominated by men, Maryse has learned that confidence is not merely intellectual—it is physical. The way you carry yourself, the way you enter a room, the way you inhabit your own presence, all communicate power before a single word is spoken.
Oturan’s lingerie understands this language. Her garments are not designed to transform a woman into something else. Instead, they reveal the strength already within her.
Seduction Reclaimed
For decades, lingerie has been framed primarily through the lens of seduction directed outward—something worn by women to seduce men. Seda Oturan’s vision dismantles that narrative, and reframes lingerie as a deeply personal form of expression. In her hands, seduction becomes inward-facing: an act of self-recognition rather than external validation. “Lingerie is often treated as something hidden,” Oturan explains. “But it can be the most powerful layer you wear—because it’s the one you choose for yourself.”
That philosophy resonates deeply with women, such as Maryse, who navigate multiple identities every day. Whether stepping into a courtroom, onto a runway, or simply into the world, women carry both strength and sensuality within them. The two are not mutually exclusive—they reinforce each other.
Designing for Every Woman
Also, what sets 25TH HOUR LINGERIE apart is not only its aesthetic allure but its commitment to inclusivity. Oturan rejects the outdated premise that lingerie belongs only to a narrow definition of beauty. Instead, her collections embrace diversity across body types, backgrounds, and identities.
Flexible structures, thoughtful tailoring, and fabrics that move fluidly with the body allow her designs to celebrate natural form over imposed artificial standards. Oturan’s message is clear to women of all shapes, sizes, and colors: beauty is enhanced when representation expands.
The Extra Hour
At the heart of the brand lies a concept both poetic and profound: The Limited Edition Extra Hour Collection. Conceived in Italy and handcrafted in small, meticulously produced quantities, these pieces embody a devotion to artisanal craftsmanship and timeless elegance.
Yet the philosophy behind them extends beyond design. The “Extra Hour” represents a moment carved out of the relentless pace of modern life—a private space reserved entirely for oneself.
In that imagined hour, free from obligation and expectation, a woman reconnects with her individuality, imagination, and sensuality. It is a reminder that self-possession is one of the most powerful luxuries a woman can claim.
Power in All Its Forms
As conversations about body positivity, representation, and empowerment continue to reshape the fashion industry, designers like Seda Oturan stand at the forefront of a growing cultural shift.
Through 25TH HOUR LINGERIE, Seda demonstrates that feminism and female empowerment does not require the abandonment of sensuality. Quite the opposite: When a woman fully embraces both her strength and her femininity, she becomes impossible to define by anyone else’s expectations, especially the expectations of a man.
For women who move seamlessly between different worlds—projecting authority in their professions while fully embracing femininity and self-expression—that message holds particular power. Maryse tells Harper’s Bazaar, “In my own experience as both a lawyer and a model, I have learned firsthand that power does not diminish beauty, and beauty does not weaken authority. On the contrary, when the two exist in harmony, they create something far more compelling.” Her perspective feels especially resonant in the context of 25TH HOUR LINGERIE, where designer Seda Oturan’s work captures that same delicate yet formidable balance, offering a striking expression of modern female empowerment.
