This is my personal story.

This is my personal story.

Last Thursday marked a big milestone in my life. It was my birthday and also the day I defended my master research thesis, where I proved my dearest Karl Lagerfeld wrong. When working for Karl, a bunch of people alluded to me ‘‘Oh you work for the guy who hates jogging pants, right?!’’, as he once famously said ‘‘Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life, so you bought some sweatpants.’’ However, my qualitative investigation demonstrates that someone who is able to wear sweatpants in the work environment has more control over his life and decisions than someone who is obliged to wear formal attire. Dress codes in the workspace are at crossroads; perceptions and signaling power of work attire are changing. Thus, as the relaxed dress code is the most visible physical cue, companies use it as a strategic tool to signal a change; a change from a traditional culture into a more modern and agile direction. It is clear that the phenomenon of casualization of work attire is not an ephemeral trend; rather, it is a societal change. Managers have to take a glance at their surroundings and accept that things have changed. In conclusion, if you wanna stay relevant and attract the best talent, the key is to stay attuned to the social zeitgeist.

I hereby would like to thank my thesis coach Karolina Brodin and my supervisor Anne Klesse ?for their guidance, advice, and constructive criticism during the procedure of creating my study. Moreover, I would like to thank and show my gratitude to the participants of my study. You took your valuable time to let me immerse into your worldview by sharing your memories, experiences, beliefs, and feelings with me. Without you, my work would not have been possible. I have obtained an 8.5 for my research and thereby passed the last criteria to graduate with cum laude distinction from one of the best research universities in the world, RSM, Erasmus University . I feel honored to learn from the most passionate professors during this time, and I am especially thankful to?Dan Schley , Quentin André , Xi Chen, and last but not least Stefano Puntoni.

Now realizing where I stand in life, I am currently reminiscing back on where I started. In the German school system, secondary education is categorized into different school types. In grade 4, I was recommended to attend Realschule, which is targeted at intermediate pupils, while my aim was always to receive the recommendation for a Gymnasium, the most advanced school category designed to prepare students for higher education. My grades were all above average, with the worst grade being a ‘‘good’’; I loved school, and my curious mind has loved learning since I can remember. However, my class teacher openly and directly told me

‘‘Yasemin, you are a child of Turkish immigrants. You would feel better preserved in the Realschule. Your parents would not be able to help you in case you need support.’’

WOW, that was tough to hear as a child but hearing this definitely aroused my inner warrior. At mere ten years old, I was already determined to prove myself and not listen to others opinions. My dad believed in me and signed me up to attend the Gymnasium, a school with approximately 800 students but only about a maximum of 5 students had Turkish background. That is around 0.6%. Yes, I had great teachers there who supported me and write me emails until this day, but I was also constantly faced with teachers who kept on telling me that I wasn’t worth it and did not deserve to be where I am. I still remember like yesterday, the first day at the Gymnasium: the German teacher was going through the name list and stopped at my name and asked me in front of the whole class if I was sure that this was the right school for me, and told me that I probably have mixed up Gymnasium with Hauptschule, the place where I should belong (the Hauptschule being the lowest level of secondary education). No, I did not cry after hearing this, I just stood up and told him that I am aware of where I am, and it was my full intention to sign up here and not elsewhere. Unfortunately, racism is a real thing in Germany. I always had to literally fight for equality and not let the stereotype image of others define who I am or prevent me from becoming who I could be.?

As a person, I am not limited to one nationality; I am part of all the places I have lived and integrated myself into their local culture to make the best of each for myself. Until so far, I have lived, worked, and studied in New York City for about two years, in Paris for a little longer than a year, and for a considerable time in Amsterdam, Berlin, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Madagascar, and other places in Turkey and Germany. I am a global citizen of the world. I hold a bachelor’s degree in International Business from one of the most international universities worldwide, Maastricht University , as well as the elite French Grande école?ESSEC Business School . I obtained my Master of Science degree in Marketing Management from?RSM , one of the best research universities in the world, with cum laude distinction. Would I be in this position, if I had listened to my teacher at the tender age of ten?

The answer is crystal clear. No, I would not. I am here where I am, because of the love, constant support, and encouragement of my parents. I also had great and inspirational mentors along the way, who were there for me, motivated me, and supported me along the way. Thank you for holding my hand and having faith in?me, Philip Vergauwen , Pier Paolo Righi , and Maximilian Schaefer. You are the epitome of that nothing is impossible if you are determined and hard-working. However, a big, big, big thank you goes to my dearest friends. My biggest luck in life is to have the most inspiring, supportive, and golden circle of friends! You guys shaped me into the person that I am today. Without your support and encouragement, I would be nothing. You know who you are. Thank you.

My aim, by sharing my personal life story, is to motivate the person who is reading this to please have trust in yourself.

Do not let anyone else decide on your fate and future. Know your worth. Take matters to hand. Fight for yourself. Most importantly: never stop dreaming and always aim for the best.?

I have complete faith in the words that dear Audrey Hepburn once said:

‘’Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘’I’m possible’’.’’

Hereby, I am promising myself and all of you to be a force for positive change in the world. May this institutional discrimination based on migrant and socioeconomic background, skin color, gender, religion, sexual orientation (...) soon be history. I'll do my part to contribute to this change by first thanking the people who helped me, motivated me, and inspired me along the way. Second, by creating more awareness around this exact issue of institutional discrimination. Third, by holding the hands of the future generations and trying with my story and my means to inspire them to always believe in their dreams, and never give up!!

Finally, what's next for me? I do not know what exactly is coming my way yet. I do not know in what city, country, or continent I will live next and what company I will work for. As always, I am open to whatever is coming my way and curious to discover more. I know my skills, I know where my passion lies, and I know that my enthusiasm, curiosity, and thirst for knowledge have led me to the most unimaginable positions in life. So I have trust in the future, and trust in ME :)

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