The centre of Istanbul’s fashion scene has traditionally been
Nişantaşı, home to designer boutiques and the flagship stores of major
brands. But in the last few years, Galata has rapidly overtaken
Nişantaşı as the best place to find rising Turkish designers, hip shops
that carry select international labels and eclectic concept stores.
Galata is one of Istanbul’s oldest quarters: it was first settled in
the fifth century. The Galata Tower, built in 1348, is the
neighbourhood’s centrepiece, offering a superb view of the Golden Horn
and surrounding city from the top. Since 1453, when the Ottomans
conquered Istanbul, Galata has retained a unique character as a place
where people of different backgrounds live side by side.
It is a neighbourhood where narrow, cobbled streets are lined with
century-old Ottoman apartment buildings with elegant stone facades and
wrought-iron balconies. Galata’s fortunes gradually declined during the
latter half of the 20th century as other parts of the city rose in
importance, and sadly, many ancient edifices are crumbling into
disrepair. But as designers, artists, expatriates and others have moved
in, attracted by the area’s authenticity and history, a wave of
restoration has preserved many buildings.
It may have been
Bahar Korçan,
an established Turkish designer, who set the wheels in motion for
Galata to become a fashion hub when she moved her studio from Nişantaşı
to Galata in 2005. In May 2007, the
Fashion Designers Association of Turkey
– which Korçan helped found and which she headed until recently –
launched GalataModa, a fair for local designers held in the square
around Galata Tower. GalataModa, which has taken place two or three
times a year since, put Galata on the city’s fashion map. Before long,
designers were moving in, and since 2009 the neighbourhood has taken
off, with some two dozen new venues.
Deniz Karaman opened
Lastik Pabuç,
Turkey’s first trainer boutique, with a business partner in August
2009. ‘We saw that Galata had great potential, and it’s definitely been
successful,’ he says. The store’s designer and retro trainers and
accessories and uber-hip atmosphere quickly earned it a devoted
following. Lastik Pabuç hosts a different visiting designer every six
months; Umut Eker, who designs accessories for men, holds the title from
February through July 2011.
Galata’s fashion and design shops are concentrated on two streets,
with a few other venues scattered nearby. Serdar-ı Ekrem Caddesi is home
to the boutiques of established Turkish designers such as Korçan and
Arzu Kaprol, along with a crop of emerging talent including
Simay Bülbül, known for her distinctive style and robust use of leather, and
Aida Pekin, who creates whimsical, modern jewellery, some of it with an Istanbul theme.
Atelier 55
carries chic Turkish and international clothing, jewellery and
accessories labels mostly not sold elsewhere in Istanbul, while design
and brand consultancy firm
Lunapark’s
eponymous concept store sells tableware, home décor and gourmet food
items produced by Turkish designers and companies, along with
coffee-table books on Turkey.
Building, which opened in early 2009, was one of the first venues to
open on Serdar-ı Ekrem and is one of the most innovative, with a focus
on cultivating budding new designers. Building displays work by more
than a dozen clothing and jewellery designers at a time for periods of
several months. For some this represents their first chance to show a
collection, but others, such as
Zeynep Tosun and
Gül Ağış,
already have name recognition. ‘We are the first place to start selling
young Turkish designers. Building is like a stage for designers to show
themselves in Galata,’ explains Bahar Arasan, Building’s fashion
coordinator.
Laundromat on
Galip Dede Caddesi also shows collections by a rotating group of
up-and-coming local designers, in addition to those of its owners
Yasemin Özeri and Öykü Thurston. Just opposite the tower, the tiny shop
La Mariquita carries select pieces from well-known Turkish designers such as
Gamze Saraçoğlu and
Hatice Gökçe and funky yet girly clothes, jewellery and accessories by a range of young designers.
Galata’s other main shopping street, Camekan Sokak, which curves
around behind the tower, has a more bohemian feel – perhaps not
surprising for a street that until quite recently was packed with the
workshops of welders, printers and other tradesmen. The tiny lane now
has a mix of cafes and shops, among them Lastik Pabuç and
Molly’s Cafe, whose cosy atmosphere, homemade food and events including live music and poetry readings attract a lively clientele.
Second Chance, owned by model Ahu Yağtu, stocks vintage designer items, while
Paris Texas offers pieces from prestigious designer brands such as
Marc Jacobs and
Chloé. Several stores sell local handicrafts and souvenir items; the most interesting and long-standing is
Lal, which carries unique Turkish-themed apparel and accessories.
A city as ancient as Istanbul has seen many transformations over the
years. Who can tell which district will be next to follow Galata’s
recent makeover into a designer destination?
