Istanbul Fashion Week kicks off under the scope of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture program

Istanbul’s biggest fashion event, which brings together our country’s leading fashion designers and ready wear brands and gathers fashion under a single roof in Turkey namely “Istanbul Fashion Week”, is beginning under the scope of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture program. The introductory meeting for Istanbul fashion week was held on Wednesday, 7 July, at the Istanbul Fashion Academy.

Istanbul Fashion Week Board of Directors Member Sedef Orman was the moderator for the Istanbul Fashion Week’s press conference, which has been made possible with the support of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency. In the press conference: President of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Apparel Exporters Association (IHKIB) Hikmet Tanriverdi, Chairperson of the Executive Board of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency Sekib Avdagic, President of the Board of Consultants of Istanbul Fashion Week Suleyman Orakcioglu, President of the United Brands Association (BMD/UBA) Yilmaz Yilmaz, Board Member of the Istanbul Leather and Leather Exporters’ Union (IDMIB) and Istanbul Fashion Week Board of Directors Member Ruken Mizrakli, President of the Fashion Designers Association (MTD) Bahar Korcan and Peter Draper from Creative Artists Agency UK Ltd., which is responsible for major events such as the Cannes Film Festival, and the Oscars all gave a speech.

President of IHKIB, Hikmet Tanriverdi: we set out to have Istanbul among the top five long side of London, Milano, Paris, New York fashion weeks. Italy with Milano, France with Paris, United Kingdom with London, and the United States of America with New York are all present in the world fashion agenda. Yet all of these countries stopped manufacturing, some completely and some partially. They design it, get it manufactured and they market it Turkey has a potential no other country has. We are proud of our world-class designers. We are the first country that comes to mind when quality production is the case. Our brands are distributed into 5 continents and our manufacturers display our strength in marketing. Despite all this potential and experience, if Turkey is stuck at around 14-15 billion dollars of ready to wear exports we need to define the missing elements here clearly. Istanbul Fashion Week will help Istanbul’s star shine and will carry the Turkish fashion industry to another segment.
As ITKIB, we did not choose to take a short cut. We mixed fashion show with trade.

We did what was not done; we tried what was not tired. We started Collection Premiere Istanbul, which will walk hand in hand with Istanbul Fashion Week. We are investing into the future with our organization now named Koza Young Designers Contest, which began years ago with a great vision. From this point on there will be no more words. We are all holding our breaths, waiting for 25 August. Istanbul will be experiencing another festivity, another excitement. We would also like to thank the 2010 Agency for their support with Istanbul Fashion Week (IFW) through out this process. Chairperson of the Executive Board of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency Sekib Avdagic: We are proud to be involved in this major “fashion-design and art” oriented organization as an Agency that will ultimately benefit to the international presentation of Istanbul, thereby the presentation of Turkey.

“The world’s most inspiring city”; namely Istanbul with its youth and dynamism, as well as its unparalleled history and cultural heritage is at the same time one of the most rapidly developing attire and fashion manufacturing and designing centers of Europe. Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture also took major steps in becoming a ‘fashion bridge’ between the Middle East and Europe and will be
hosting many international press members fashion professionals, designers, buyer companies and fashion-lovers throughout IFW. Moreover, Istanbul will also be hosting the world-renowned artists Hussein Chalayan and Dice Kayek’s exhibitions, which display how art and fashion are an inseparable whole. With the contributions of Istanbul Fashion Week, Istanbul will be once more talked about in the international arenas, as one of the major ?? centers of Europe.

President of the Board of Consultants of Istanbul Fashion Week Suleyman Orakcioglu: Istanbul Fashion Week (IFW) is very important for Istanbul. Our designers and stylists like Hussein Chalayan, Dice Kayek, Atil Kutoglu and Bora Aksu, all of whom represent our country abroad together with the world fashion professionals will be involved in this organization for the whole week and we are thrilled about this. IFW is a very significant organization displaying the sector’s power in the field of fashion.

UBA President Yilmaz Yilmaz: IFW, aims at showing the point Turkey is at as a designer country that creates fashion rather than just a manufacturer. As United Brands Association, all of our members give our full support to this event.

Board Member of the Istanbul Leather and Leather Exporters’ Union (IDMIB) and Istanbul Fashion Week Board of Directors Member Ruken Mizrakli: One of the sectors Turkey is best at in the world is the fur/suede sector.

I am proud to say that as for fur/suede manufacturing, in the processed leather out of the tannary and for fur/suede apparel we are world leaders per item. What makes this leadership more valuable is that, it also means superior quality. As leather manufacturers, we are thrilled to support Koza Young Designers Contest. This contest will be realized with the partnership of IHKIB (Istanbul Apparel Exporters Association), IDMIB (Istanbul Leather and Leather Exporters’ Union), IMA (Istanbul Fashion Academy) and 2010 Istanbul European Capital of Culture Agency. Among the previous winners of this contest, there are now famous Turkish designers like Bahar Korcan, Arzu Kaprol, Hakan Yildirim, Hatice Gokce, Umit Unal, Bora Aksu, Banu Bora. We believe that this year’s winners will also be representing Turkey in the international arena in the future. The Koza Contest expresses the future of our fashion industry. We are very proud that each year we present new names to the Turkish fashion sector, helping the sector expand and include young professionals.

President of the Fashion Designers Association (MTD) Bahar Korcan: There will be individual fashion shows of the 13 designers during Istanbul Fashion Week (IFW). There will also be mixed fashion shows through out the event.

During Istanbul Fashion Week, a total of 15 fashion shows will take place in 4 days with the participation of 20 designers at the Taskisla building of Istanbul Technical University. Moreover, four major parties will be organized under a separate theme each night during IFW. We will give you more information on this as the programs concerning party programs become clearer.

Peter Draper from Creative Artists Agency UK Ltd.: We have established a strategic cooperation with ITKIB and we will all be witnessing this important union in Istanbul Fashion Week (IFW).

2010 European Capital of Culture, Istanbul, is one of the most inspiring cities of the world with her unparalleled history and cultural heritage, as ell as her youth, dynamism and commercial potential. We have established a strategic cooperation with ITKIB for booking celebrities, models and sponsorships.

Istanbul Fashion Week Board of Directors Member Sedef Orman: Approximately 1000 people will be employed during the Fashion Week.

The hotels and restaurants in the city will also be busier thanks to Istanbul Fashion Week. More than a thousand foreign press and purchasing groups will come to IFW Turkey, making it Turkey’s most important fashion event.

24 fashion shows in 4 Days at the Istanbul Fashion Week...

The world Fashion Week kicks off with Istanbul Fashion Week (IFW), before fashion weeks in Milan, New York, London and Paris. The opening of IFW which is organized under the scope of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture program, will be with the finale of the 19th Koza Young Designers Contest that will be held at the Ciragan Palace on 24 August.

Twenty-four fashion shows will take place in four days with the participation of twenty designers and brands through out Istanbul Fashion Week (IFW),which will be held at the Taskisla building of Istanbul Technical University between 25-28 August, will be organized by ITKIB, with the cooperation of Fashion Designers Association (FDA/ MTD) and United Brands Association (UBA/BMD) and with the support of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency.

Between 25-28 August, that is; throughout Istanbul Fashion Week, fashion shows of renowned brands will meet with fashion lovers, as well as the designer’sindividual and mixed fashion shows. Among the 13 names that will be putting on their individual fashion shows, there are designers the fashion world knows well like Bahar Korcan, Arzu Kaprol, Ozlem Suer, Hatice Gokce, Mehtap Elaidi, Gamze
Saracoglu, Deniz Mercan, Atil Kutoglu, Ozgur Masur, Simay Bulbul, Ozlem Kaya, Gunseli Turkay, and Bora Aksu who will be putting on the opening fashion show.

Gul Agis, Zeynep Tosun and Zeynep Erdogan will be holding a mixed fashion show. Niyazi Erdogan, Necla Guvenc, Tuvana Buyukcinar and Rana Berna Canok are also names that will be holding a mixed fashion show.

Moreover, within the frame of Istanbul Fashion Week organization, Hussein Chalayan and Dice Kayek will be holding their respective exhibitions at the Istanbul Modern, thanks to the support of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency. While one of the leading representatives of modern design Hussein Chalayan’s most comprehensive exhibition in Turkey as of yet, “Hussein Chalayan: 1994-2010” will be open at the Istanbul Modern between 15 July-24 October 2010, Dice Kayek’s collection called “Istanbul Contrast” will be on display for the fashion fans at the Istanbul Modern between 25 August- 19 September 2010.