istanbul help

[collingsnyc]

Any must-see spots in istanbul for high-quality shoes, leather goods, other men's clothing?

 

[PITAronin]

And if anyone responding to this thread could expand their response to possibly include womenswear as well it would be appreciated. (My daughter and I are planning to visit Istanbul later in the fall.)

 

[globetrotter]

really, the grand bazar is as good a place as any to buy leather coats. I was there with my boss last year, and she bought 5 leather coats for about 100 bucks a piece. she can afford to buy very nice stuff, and she liked the quality well enough. I would say that they are at least as good as the coats you see for $500 in the states.

as for shoes - I am less sure about that. I have a friend who lives in Budapest, but has his shoes bespoke in Isbambul. but I am not sure that they are that great quality. as for clothing, there are tailors around, but I wouldn't bet on their quality.

I think that the best bet to buy would be leather coats.

 

[demo5]

In the Grand Bazar, go to Koc for leather goods. I picked up a very nice suede shirt there and their quality is excellent. The high-end department store is Vakko. They have some nice stuff, but it's relatively pricey since they are like a Neiman Marcus or Saks.

 

[bryce330]

I think they have a Harvey Nichols in Istanbul now as well.

 

[haci79]

Globetrotter,
Do you know where your friend gets bespoke shoes in Istanbul? I will be there for a few months, and would love to pickup some shoes.
I have had shirts an suits made in Turkey - the key thing is to allocate sufficient time to really explain what you want, show pictures, and keep re-explaining and fixing things at each fitting (sleeve length, etc.). My first suit turned out OK, but shirts took a couple of tries to get right (still not perfect).
Thanks

 

[lbcgav]

I still call it Constantinople.

 

[BABuckeye]

Originally Posted by lbcgav

I still call it Constantinople.

Why not Byzantium?

 

[lbcgav]

Originally Posted by BABuckeye

Why not Byzantium?

I'm a Christian.

 

[MedGuy28]

There is Harvey Nichols in Kanyon mall but the prices are twice the prices in Harvey Nichols London.

http://www.kanyon.com.tr

Then you have Beymen shops which sell most things from Prada to Kiton. There is a big one in Akmerkez mall, which is in the same district as Kanyon (name of the district: Levent).

You can also check Vakko, the best Turkish brand. They have a big store in Kanyon. They have nice shirts, ties and socks especially.

A little bit further away, in Istinye district, there is the Istinye Park mall. There they have Etro, Paul Smith, D&G, Burberry, Dior etc.

For shoes, Turkish brands Matras and Hotic are good.

For clothes, you can also try Turkish brands such as Network/Fabrika and W.

I hope this helps.

 

[Chow Chow]

I have been to Istanbul many times on business and know that there are a number of long-established bespoke shoe makers, and that Istanbul was known at least at one time as a place where good bespoke shoes could be had. Unfortunately I do not recall the names. They are all near Istiklal, but none on it (Istiklal is a main shopping street). I had an article from 2003 that listed the remaining makers and if I can find it I will post the information on the forum. I could not tell much from walking by the one or two that have windows, and have not been a customer, so I cannot say anything about quality of work, materials, or styling.

I believe there are some good custom shirt makers, judging from what I have seen on business people I have dealt with, but there are probably a lot of mediocre ones as well. I don't know about suits.

Your best bet would be to contact the concierge at the Four Seasons or the Ciragan (Kempinski) for recommendations. Make clear you are not just looking for just any custom maker or for brands, but the very top level artisans who do only in custom work. Otherwise they are likely to suggest some regular retailer that may do some MTM work, and that will not likely be worth the trouble.

I would suggest you avoid shopping for major brands. It is the same stuff you can find elsewhere and for prices as high or higher. Vakko is indeed the best Turkish brand, but they are expensive and their strength, in my opinion, lies more in women's things. Their scarves in old Ottoman designs are particularly beautiful, and I made a point of going there to pick some up for my wife when I was in town.

 

[Michael Ay329]

No one in their right mind calls Constantinople, in the alternative as Byzantium

Others still call it occupied East Greece

 

[Musketer]

http://www.milimetric.com