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Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Part of UK in Turkey

9th April 2013

High fashion in Istanbul

What do Nicole Scherzinger, Arzu Kaprol, Keira Knightley, Harvey Nichols, Katy Perry and Deniz Berdan have in common?

They’re all involved in Turkish fashion.  Nicole Scherzinger wears Cengiz Abazoğlu.  Arzu Kaprol is an award-winning designer with a corner at Harrods.  Keira Knightley wears Bora Aksu.  Harvey Nichols has two stores in Turkey packed with British and Turkish fashion.  Deniz and Begüm Berdan have designed for Katy Perry.

Begüm Berdan, Gül Ağış, Leigh Turner, Deniz Berdan, Tuğba Kuzdere, Ece Gözen (1)So it was excellent to have Turkish designers and other top fashion icons attend a fashion event last Friday at the British Consulate-General in Istanbul to celebrate connections between Turkish and British fashion.

The UK-Turkey Fashion Talks (on Twitter: #UKTurkeyFashionTalks) brought together Turkish fashion designers to talk about British fashion and how Turkish fashion players can to use London and the UK to thrive.

Arzu Kaprol described how the UK’s welcoming fashion environment and acceptance of diverse cultures and designers made it a perfect location for new young designers to break through to the big time.

Gül Ağış talked about her London Fashion Week experience and how it fuelled her fashion career.

Mother-and-daughter designer duo Deniz and Begüm Berdan shared their experiences both in working with leading corporates like Starbucks and Disney and the experience of studying among leading young designers in London.

Hamdi Külahçıoğlu talked about Demsa, Harvey Nichols and their British and Turkish brands.

UK Trade and Investment Inward Investment Adviser Simla Çınar explained UKTI services and practical help for Turkish designers setting up businesses in the UK.

The event rounded off with a lively discussion amongst all the participants.

I was delighted the event was so exciting and generated such resonance on Twitter and in the fashion media.  I was particularly interested to hear the views of experienced Turkish fashion designers on why London Fashion Week is the best first step for new young Turkish fashion designers because it’s more open to outsiders and more global than some competitors.

I look forward to the next fashion event at the British Consulate-General Istanbul.  Watch this space.

1 comment on “High fashion in Istanbul”

  1. It is very pleasing and exciting to see the recognition of Turkish Designers in fashion icon city like London. Turkey truly has outstanding creative designers.

    At anjelique.me based in Dubai, we are also very proud to feature our Turkish designers from jewelry to apparels in the Gulf and Middle East region.

    It is such a milestone to see “High fashion in Istanbul” finally being promoted globally.

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About Leigh Turner

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of…

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of the UN and other organisations; stories here will reflect that.

About me: I arrived in Vienna in August 2016 for my second posting in this wonderful city, having first served here in the mid-1980s. My previous job was as HM Consul-General and Director-General for Trade and Investment for Turkey, Central Asia and South Caucasus based in Istanbul.

Further back: I grew up in Nigeria, Exeter, Lesotho, Swaziland and Manchester before attending Cambridge University 1976-79. I worked in several government departments before joining the Foreign Office in 1983.

Keen to go to Africa and South America, I’ve had postings in Vienna (twice), Moscow, Bonn, Berlin, Kyiv and Istanbul, plus jobs in London ranging from the EU Budget to the British Overseas Territories.

2002-6 I was lucky enough to spend four years in Berlin running the house, looking after the children (born 1992 and 1994) and doing some writing and journalism.

To return to Vienna as ambassador is a privilege and a pleasure. I hope this blog reflects that.

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