Turkish Haute Couture
- July 23, 2022
Today was my day to scout out all the Turkish Fashion Designers and an excuse for me to get dressed up. There are 2 areas in Istanbul that are a must see – if you like finding something unique.
1) Galata Port is a newly opened gorgeous indoor and outdoor fashion centre which includes a variety of restaurants, bars and hotels along the cruise ship port. You will find the latest fashion trends which boasts their homegrown designers along with some International brands.
2) Nistansi -is the high end fashion district of Istanbul with all the major brands, department stores and some impeccable Turkish Haute Couture brands.
In the heart of Nistansi was a boutique called Alfabeta which has been around for over 35 years. They are a leading player in the evening dress industry and every piece is carefully designed with the elegant women in mind.
They have red carpet apparel for any special occasion and this store dresses up the Turkish Elite and the Movie Industry.
Also in the Nisantasi District hidden on a side street was my favorite store KUTNIA. Its an elegant lifestyle brand established by founder Jülide Konukoglu in 2017 – which was inspired by her love of Kutna which is a prized traditional fabric of Gaziantep, TURKEY.
Kutna is a centuries old sustainable fabric that has been highly valued since the Ottoman times, prized for its luxurious quality, lustrous sheen and rich colours. Any piece you wear will be a show stopper, and one thing I do know with these fabrics is they travel well and don’t wrinkle – so you will have your piece for life.
GIZIA GATE is a luxury fashion store featuring some of Turkey’s new top designers. They have some unique designs from elegant evening wear to edgy street wear with the hope that whatever you buy makes you feel special.
Levinson leather and Fur is a must see, for the fashion lovers. They have a store in the Shangri-La Hotel, but their warehouse is in Sultanahmet region. They manufacture for some very high brand fashion houses as well as Vegan leather for Zara.
If you haven’t noticed, I love everything pink so I was inevitably drawn to MON REVE. The soft elegant interior displays bold and edgy hand made pieces that are both colourful and energetic with detailed craftmanship. Designer Betina Demisulam desires her brand embrace self-confidence and freedom of expression amongst those that dare to wear her pieces.
Her bracelets were one of my favorite collections using natural stone and gold plated brass and every piece has a story to tell. The collection comes in limited quantities made with love in Istanbul.
Galata Port has just newly opened and I was impressed to see this elegant shopping center showcasing some of Turkeys best designers in one spot. Aruzu Kaprol is one of Turkey’s most successful fashion designers and her boutique is filled with some edgy, flirty and colourful avant garde pieces – for those women that live their life to the fullest and dress for success! Her sales have spread to Harrods in London, Montaigne Market in Paris, and Bergdorf Goodman in NY.C.
Her rainbow dress featured above was a flirty fun elegant piece that you can wear by day or night and is one of those pieces that people will wonder how you have the confidence to wear something so loud. So I would tone it down with some flat black boots and a jean jacket for the fall to keep the look alive!
T.A.G.G. was established in 1992 by Umit Unal and the collection has a timeless and conservative design approach. The collection specializes in hand-knit pullovers with drop shoulder and extra long sleeves that will suit anyones wardrobe.
If your in the Nistansi (fashion district) or you just need a coffee break, I found this trendy café dripping with pink flowers with the business crowd and shoppers lined up for a seat.
Nistansi 22 has a warm ambience, great menu and every evening at 6pm you can enjoy a DJ performance with soul style ethnic house tunes while sipping on one of their signature cocktails. This place is always packed, so make sure you make a reservation and enjoy the beauty of this vibrant location.
