If you know the right places, shopping in Istanbul can be a rewarding activity. If you are looking to indulge in luxury shopping during your Istanbul trip, then you must know where to go. You can find luxury international brands in busy shopping malls like İstinye, Kanyon or City's Nişantaşı and also the Grand Bazaar. For those looking to explore a wide range of independent boutiques and design shops, the city's four high-end neighborhoods - Galata, Nişantaşı, Bebek and Cihangir - will suit your taste. We have selected some of Istanbul's coolest fashion boutiques run by successful designers.
Atölye Mariposa
Featuring silk chiffon and organza gowns like those straight out of a Hollywood film, 1950s- and 1960s-style bridal dresses and garments promise to make you look like Grace Kelly at a romantic party. These styles can all be found under one roof - in the small boutique called Atölye Mariposa. With two branches based in Istanbul's shopping neighborhoods of Teşvikiye and Cihangir, Atölye Mariposa is a nostalgic concept that faux-vintage lovers immediately feel as soon as they step in. Like other creative artists, fashion designers are always looking for inspiration but for Didem Arayıcı and Banu Öneş, the sister owners of Atölye Mariposa, the concept for their boutique was family-inspired. Since their father ran a local cinema, their sentimental acquaintance with theater played a big role in their shop's theme. You can find Öneş's seasonal clothes made of lace, satin, silk and cotton. Although most of her pieces do not come in multiple sizes and are typically small and medium, the designs embrace a youthful style with naive details. The boutiques are not limited to garments and accessories but also include vintage-inspired objects brought from France and the U.K. From the Marie-Therese style chandeliers to chic home accessories like stylish armchairs, you can also discover the collections of young English designers at Atölye Mariposa. Get ready to create a refined passage between retro and modern themes with the boutiques' elegant pieces.
Fey
Run by the former publishing director and general manager of Marie Claire's Turkish edition Fatoş Yalın - Turkey's very first fashion magazine editor - the boutique Fey in Nişantaşı brings together stylish accessories, home decorations and vintage items. Yalın's source of inspiration came from a quote by James Brown: "The fey quality was there, the ability to see the moon at mid-day." While designing her own clothing brand, Yalın was inspired by timeless women's collections that never go out of style as opposed to trendy garments. Her designs reflect her personal taste and are mixed with her favorite vintage pieces. At Fey, you can find leather bags, silk shirts, cashmere tops and cotton skirts along with non-clothing items like ceramic bowls, sculptural objects and furniture pieces. Arzu Kaprol, Dilek Hanif, and Aslı Filinta are among the Turkish designers whose pieces are found here. A limited men's clothing line is also available. Fey is not an ordinary boutique but will make you feel as if you are sharing wardrobes with someone stylish who has invited you to share their clothing.
Atelier 55
Another elegantly designed boutique on Galata's fancy Serdar-ı Ekrem Street is Atelier 55, where the collections of both Turkish and international designers such as Bora Aksu, Ümit Benan, Batya Kebudi, Charlotte Olympia, Holy Fulton, Philip Treacy, VPL and Lagoa are housed. As a platform for all kinds of design from clothing to painting, Atelier 55 also has an everything-for-sale concept that continuously develops itself. For Atelier 55, Vivienne Westwood's pirate boots, R&Y Augousti's simplistic but complex clutches or David Koma's feminine dresses are what every woman has to have. A small Espresso Bar is also at the boutique's back for a short coffee break.
Midnight Express
Opened in 2008, Midnight Express has remained one of the city's coolest fashion boutiques with four branches, two of them are located in Istanbul, while the two others in coastal Bodrum and Alaçatı towns. Run by Daniela İpekel and Bora Mumcu, Midnight Express is a concept store selling men's and women's wear as well as luxury accessory line and home decor by local and international brands like Carven, Theory, Yves Salomon, Ayşe Rodoslu and Roseanna.
Aida Pekin
Do you search for whimsical designs like whale rings and asymmetrical bangles? The jewelry brand Aida Pekin located at the end of Serdar-ı Ekrem Street is where you can share the colorful world of Bihter Ayda Pekin, a skilled jewelry designer launched her namesake brand in 2006 and opened her design store three years later. She uses different materials in her each collection with an unconventional and modern twist. Many of her designs in her small Galata boutique are inspired by Istanbul. Pekin also takes part in numerous social responsibility projects and her designs are sold at Istanbul Modern and Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation (İKSV) Design shops as well as at Lucente Studio in California and Max Luna in Grenoble, France.
