Make the most of a shopping weekend in Istanbul with a few addresses worth crossing a continent for.
August aside, Istanbul has quietly become one of Europe’s most rewarding shopping destinations, not for its malls or its mirrored flagship stores, but for the small, fiercely independent ateliers tucked behind unassuming doors in Nişantaşı and the Grand Bazaar. Among those who know the city well, the conversation has shifted away from the usual luxury circuit. The interest now lies with the makers themselves.
We want to make shopping fun again. Not the usual luxury brands lined up along the same street, selling similar things under different logos, overpriced and not fun at all, even though each one is doing its own summer-inspired capsule, giving the impression of an effortless day at the beach by borrowing designs from the era when Brigitte Bardot walked barefoot around St. Tropez, just with a shinier logo on top. The usual online luxury platforms indulge in yachts to pretend life is simply better offshore, but for all the polish, it lacks authenticity, like an advertisement from the seventies where clothes are ironed until they no longer move and make up is set on frozen faces. We really wonder, where is the fun part?
Here is why Istanbul, and these addresses in particular, are worth the trip:
1. TOHUM, jewellery with the language of the souk.
Founder Verda Alaton has spent years translating the language of Istanbul’s old souks into wearable form. Her pieces are made from natural stones and materials found at the beach and in nature, simple, expressive, and entirely her own. Visit her at tohumdesign.com.
2. FEY, a concept store built around one woman’s eye.
FEY is the worldly manifestation of Fatoş Yalın Arkun’s personal taste, the former editor of Marie Claire turned curator of her own world. The way jewellery, accessories and her own collection are selected, created and matched together feels elegant, yet cool, the kind of curation that cannot be taught. Find her on Instagram @fey_istanbul.
3. APONINE, a zesty new flair in fine jewellery.
Nisa Cakar, the young jewellery label founded by a mother and daughter duo who recently returned to Istanbul from studying gemmology in London, brings something colourful and often unexpected to fine jewellery. Visit her showroom and let it pull you into her world, or browse at aponine.com.
4. CLOSH, sustainable couture above the tailors.
An atelier on the first floor, shared with the tailors next door, belonging to Serli Kecoglu, an Armenian designer known for her evening wear and wedding dresses, and her dedication to sustainable, personalised couture and timeless craftsmanship. See more at serlikecoglu.com.
5. MUSE FOR ALL, summer basics done properly.
Summer basics made with beautiful fabrics, mostly cottons, in classic shapes that underline femininity. The perfect place to put together a wardrobe for a weekend in Bodrum. Shop at museforall.com.
6. OOPS COOL, beachwear with a sense of humour.
A fun label you would wear to the beach, but different from any other beachwear, bold, colourful, and a genuinely good bargain for making an impression at your next beach party. Browse at oopscool.com.tr.
7. RAISA VANESSA, the dress every cool girl already owns.
A great season for parties calls for a head-turning dress, and that is exactly what the twin sisters behind Raisa Vanessa are known for, fantastic gowns, sexy, bejewelled, in colourful, bright fabrics. Every cool girl has at least one of their dresses in her closet. Discover the collection at raisavanessa.com.
8. MISELA, the leather worth skipping the fakes for.
Skip the fakes at the Grand Bazaar and buy your leather goods here instead. MISELA is a fine leather brand, entirely handmade in Istanbul. The design is slick and elegant, simple but never too minimal, you feel the craftsmanship the moment you walk into their shop on Süleyman Seba Cd. Visit misela.com.
9. KAFTAN HOUSE, the quiet corner of the Grand Bazaar.
Visit the quieter, less crowded corner of the Grand Bazaar, where original Ottoman craftsmanship lives on through jewellery and tiles, caftans with vintage fabrics, jewellery and fine objects.
Istanbul does not announce itself the way the usual luxury circuit does. It asks you to look closer, to walk up a flight of stairs you might otherwise pass, to take a recommendation from someone who actually lives there. That is precisely what makes a weekend spent this way worth the trip.