Vogue on the shelves in Turkish

After generating a lot of speculation for months 
Turkish Vogue finally had its place among others.

It is just above the mediocrity…

I was completely biased because of our previous magazine experiences in the industry. Elle, Harper’s Bazaar or Cosmopolitan happened to be another soulless, unidentified carbon copies of their original editions by reducing its staff only a bunch of translators and simple implementers while disregarding the local talents.

And Vogue, even though it has a well-known tradition with the fashion industry and Condé Nast Publication has strict policies about the brand expansions, could possibly be a victim of the market in the same way.

It was a big question mark in my mind whether Vogue could manage to not to be another women magazine in this not-that-demanding market.

Along with that wonder, I was afraid of Turkish Vogue happen to be too commercial like its American counterpart due to the concern over circulation. It may be okay in the States but in Turkish edition, would be really repulsive to see too polished pictures all through the pages with big price tags.

Fortunately, probably since Mary Fellowes of British Vogue is at the head of fashion direction, Vogue Türkiye is mostly inspired by the British one. Not as arty as the Italian one or as glamorous as the French one… Just in the middle of all and above the mediocrity.

Although some say that there is a lack of a specific article on fashion in the magazine, i pretty like its relationship with ‘lifestyle’ topics.

There is an article on the painter Semiha Berksoy celabrating her 100. birthday; an article and shooting with director Ferzan Özpetek revealing his latest film and another shooting made in Italy with the leading actor and actresses of the newly relased movie, Ses.

There are seven fashion shootings i count, four of them styled by Mary Fellowes, three of them by Konca Aykan and the other one by Ece Sükan… These mostly are pretty shoots produced out of the studio and mostly using daily light instead of strong spots.

One of my favorite shootings in the mag is the one shot in Mardin. Even if i haven’t been in there i feel excitement about that little, eastern city. When it comes to culture it seems pretty promising. And the shooting reveals it pretty much by giving space to the local patterns. The costumes and the lighting do not cover anything they go along with everything surrounding them. 

‘The Randevouz in Bodrum’ which makes you feel the mag has something to do with art photography is my another favorite shoot. Oka, maybe, gathering now-retired-but-still-beautiful models together, instead of emerging hot models, is kind of depressing idea for the first issue but the concept looks pretty on the pages.

And here is my amazement… When it comes to costumes no other public persona dare to be daring as much as Zeki Müren. Zeki Müren was/is arguably one of the most famous singers in the city life. He expressed his publicly undeclared sexual preferance with his costumes in the very conservative and politically though times. His obsession with fashion to express his identity is a great example between culture-identity and fashion.     

The New York Magazine asks to his online readers (probably as the part of a PR work) that “Why is the cover of Turkish Vogue is so great?”

Is it really so?

Oka, being plain is appreciated but for what reason Jessica Stam is the face of the first issue of a magazine published for the local Turkish market? Why not a Turkish model on the cover? Is it because that Turkish models aren’t pretty enough? Or Is that just a fear of being excluded off the international fashion industry.

In both cases the insecurity is not appreciated.

After all ‘Vogue Türkiye’ is pretty to flip through. But that’s sure it is not enough to keep the wheels working. We all going to see how it will manage to survive in the new media landscape turning its face increasingly to online.

With the help of its traditional perception it’ll probably do well in its first year. The figures show that it has an ideal advertising-content percentage for the first issue. But it’s doubtful whether these figures are sustainable or not. 

Behind the scenes of the cover :

For what reason men stand?

Why do image makers make models stand in front of a plain background in all of the suit advertisements?  
With no story, no emotion, no diversity...

Do they just try to show us that how the suit perfectly suits on? Or how amazing lines and cuts it has..?

Aren't these ads supposed to show us the final benefit we could get in the society by wearing a suit. 

All the suits in ads look like the relatives of an Armani classic. 

So how can an ordinary buyer differenciate them before going to a store unless a brand would not tell a story about itself and the man represents it?

Building: Food Lab & Apperal

A little café located in a cool, gentrified street aims to change our feeding experience 

If chefs such as Alain Ducasse, David Bouley, Anthony Bourdain launch a new cafe/restaurant/bistro we would expect new tastes we probably never-ever tasted before.

But in a case the entrepreneurs happen to be a bunch of folks who decide opening up a new cool café with background in different fields such as event-marketing and interior design what we should expect to live about that never-ever-happened experience is in appereance.

Building Food Lab and Apparel is a little, chic boutique which is located in a gentrified street, named Serdar-ı Ekrem, one of the recently coolest spots in the city. It's simply a sleek café with a clothing boutique and a little terrace for smokers.

But what is actually cool is in the details. 

One of the partners, Serkan Yılmaz explained to me that the main aim with the concept is to change feeding habits by presenting foods with some architectural objects, instead of changing the content of foods. Which means the 'tools' you're supposed to use for eating are inspired by construction tools, like saw or trowel.

And you can see this approach everywhere in the store: Clients gather around a 17-metres rectangle table with a shape of ladder and all kinds of foods are presented at the ceramic tiles. there are also some toy trucks here and there...

The apperal part of the store has exclusively chosen garments and accessorieses from different young creative brands of different countries. These are products let you identify with the concept of Building while differentiating yourself.

A brand opportunity: Oil wrestling

A potential brand which would associate with oil wrestling could get an opportunity 

to be a popular lifestyle menswear brand

I wonder why there is no menswear brand for youngsters in Turkey which associates with oil wrestling, a well-known but not wide spread traditional sport being played for centuries.

    It’s weird because it’s probable that any brand which would relate with oil wrestling could get a natural opportunity to have sponsorship with annual Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Organization, which is held in Edirne, a city several hours away from İstanbul and to get press coverage.

   Some may have doubts about being perceived kind of provincal when the brand relates with this organization -mostly attended by not-that-elite local inhabitants. But this raw image has another opportunity: Provenance.

   Oil wrestling has been played for centuries and it used to be very popular. That’s because it has a strong provenance which would help to get public attention.

   Recent years this sport has been in the focus of gay people all around the world because of its playing style. Their perception was like this: Two half naked macho men covered olive oil wrestles and they even do freely put their hands into their kısmets (the short pants players ought to wear)

   So here is another opportunity a potential brand could use: Even though the brand would have a ‘straight’ looking it may attract gay people at the same time. Like Abercrombie and Fitch it may generate a new kind of fraternity feeling.

Kırkpınar Oil Wrestlings is a natural source for Bruce Weber-like images:

Interview: Behind the brand, Closh

Over the previous entry below, i talked with  the designers of Closh, Selvin Parunakyan and Serli Keçoğlu, about the current situation of their two-year-old brand. 

 

• You had started your business right before the global economic crisis. Even well-established brands have been severely affected by this turmoil all around the world. And it's known that small businesses have been comparatively more vulnarable, in general. Was that period harmful for you?

We are influenced directly by not the economic crisis itself but its perception in people’s mind.

Because the word, crisis, was so talked about and widespread that at some point, people became hesitant to shop and even they didn't want to go out for a short period of time. 
And then it eased up. Fortunately it was not so destructive for us.

• Do you take the latest trends into consider while you are designing? Or do you just go your own way?

Our clothes are mainly inspired by vintage designs. We modernize them as keeping the essence of the original design. Bows, falbalas, corsages, laces and pearls are the main characteristics on our cloths.  

• What’s prior while you are designing: Reflecting the original essence of the design or the expectations of your customers?

Of course, what the customers need for a good living is our first concern. But when we recreate an old-fashioned design, we try to keep its form the same as once it was! For that, we use iron corsets to keep the body tight and in shape and tutus to make the skirts and dresses swollen... 

• What’s the ratio of ready-to-wear to Haute couture in sales?

 It depends. But we can say that ready-to-wear and haute couture sales are almost fifty-fifty. 

• Now, you have partnerships with some of the popular tv series. How did it start?

 The stylists of these series discovered Closh. They said that the style of our cloths suits the characters in the serials they work with. And so our partnerships have improved. We help them choose what’s best for their need!

• How these partnerships have affected your brand? 

Because we live in a culture popularity is appreciated, we are certainly glad about this new brand awareness and perception Boutique Closh has now!

People would like to look like as chic as the personas they watch on the screen; so they, as a general tendency, try to imitate these tv figures and we help them live the life they wish for.

• What will be your next step for Closh? 

 We'd like to launch Closh abroad. But the details are not clear yet.

!! GO BELOW FOR FURTHER READING !! 

Detailed shots in Boutique Closh

Atiye Sok. No:2 Nişantaşı/İSTANBUL

Closh dresses up!

The Partnership, chic women's wear boutique Closh has made with the TV serial, Aşk-ı Memnu has put the brand into a new level, by introducing it to a new and lager audience

    Closh was opened two years ago, in Nişantaşı, by a couple of talented newly-grad fashion designers, Selvin & Serli, with Nerime Ercan and Natali Ohannesyan's great supports.

    I remember the opening night of Closh. It was so fun. Everybody was so excited; the clothes were great, store looked chic and hopes were fresh, high... Everyone expected the best, so did i.

     Whenever and wherever i see a small, independent business blossoms regardless considering of which side of business it belongs to i certainly get excited. 

Because these little stores are like oasises in a market now ruled mainly by chain stores. They are like celebration of individualistic creativity. 

    Nevertheless i had doubts regarding the future of Closh. 

    Okay the location was cool, the designers were really enthusiastic and their designs were made with inspiration. Yet these are not the only components which make a business work properly.

    For that reason what i wondered then was that if they could achieve to survive in this highly competive environment while dealing with fothcoming economic crisis.     

    So whenever i run into Selvin on the street i asked, hoping for the best, that how the store does and she always responded modestly saying "it's oka".

       This month, Closh celebrates its second year!

After the worst time of economic crisis has passed away, the recent news delightfully reveals that Closh has started to make more than oka! 

        The current partnership Closh has made with TV series Aşk-ı Memnu which has quite well ratings both in Turkey and in some Arab countries has been introduced the brand to a larger community and increased its brand awareness.

        In a very short turkish broadcasting history very few TV serial has had such an effect over people with its styling! 

       Thanks to mass media coverage, the style the serial represents has enthusiastic followers, so do the brands behind of that style!