Women Shaping
Turkish Fashion

(Maison Ë Visit) It’s hard to imagine how the Akaretler Row Houses—originally built in the 1870s to house staff working at the nearby Dolmabahçe Palace—were once a site of neglect. Since their restoration in the 2000s, art galleries, fashion boutiques, design shops, and studios have flourished within the spacious townhouses, setting in so naturally, it’s as if they had always belonged. It’s yet another confluence of history and modernity in a city that so effortlessly melds opposites.

Among them is the showroom of Nackiyé, designed by the internationally acclaimed Istanbul-based design studio Autoban. Pristine white and minimal rooms are accentuated with single walls painted in a deep azure blue and pastel pink, or archways decked out in branded ceramics, all leading to a tranquil back garden. On the hangers is the latest collection from the brand’s “individually designed artisanal garments.”

Established in 2018 by sisters Başak and Defne Kocabıyıkoğlu, Nackiyé is named after their great-grandmother whose own grandmother was the first woman in the Ottoman empire to perform the Sema, the spiritual dance of the whirling dervishes of the Mevlevi Sufi order. Inspired by the women of their lineage and their rich heritage, the Kocabıyıkoğlu sisters began designing garments to reflect the fluidity of culture, both in their own lives and that of Istanbul. Signature pieces of high-quality fabrics and craftsmanship include flowing kaftan dresses in bright floral hues or a made-to-order coat with a Parisian flair.

Across the Bosphorus, in the bohemian Moda neighborhood, the boutique of designer Hatice Gökçe is marked by a metal sculpture of a crow which patiently guards the entrance. A pioneering designer known for her innovative approach to menswear, Gökçe’s playfulness with materials and shapes is experimental in nature.

“Being a female designer in Turkey brings with it both its own challenges and its own unique strengths,” says Gökçe. “The fashion industry, like many other areas, has historically been shaped by a male perspective—especially in the menswear area, which is my focus. Making progress in this area requires resilience and a clear vision. On the other hand, being a woman allows me to interpret masculinity through a different lens—more intuitive, questioning, and sometimes more empathetic.”