Dressing up for carnival in Istanbul
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Ceylan Yeğinsu
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 21, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Masks and wild costumes aren’t just for Halloween anymore. It’s carnival time. Though Turkish people do not traditionally celebrate carnival, similar costume balls are part of the entertainment culture especially in Istanbul. There are even few shops in Istanbul offering out of the ordinary attire
With carnival just around the corner, street and house parties are being planned all across the world, but for those that do not have the time or talent of the Samba schools in Brazil finding an outfit on time can be difficult. Costume shops are many, but the options on offer are often tedious and lack originality.
Although the famous Rio Carnival sets an example for big, bold and colorful, not everyone’s carnival celebrations are led by this example. When carnival celebrations first started in Rio de Janeiro in 1641, the city imported the Paris bourgeoisie celebrations of masquerade balls, which continues to be adopted by people today who tone down their celebrations.
Two costume shops and one vintage boutique in Istanbul’s Taksim area, however, offer bright and colorful alternatives fitting with the celebratory themes of carnival.
Taking its name from the world-renowned hip English market, Porto Bello offers costumes and accessories from every fashion trend of the ’90s. Among the vintage collection that includes designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Paul Shark, Emmanuel Ungaro, Maxi Librati and Armani, Portobello displays a number of original colorful garments designed for masquerade balls and carnival parties. Owner Macide Karaali, has collected items found in the shop from all across Europe and Turkey. One can find everything from colorful fabrics, curtains, clothing, handbags and shoes to wedding dresses, nightgowns, kaftans and silver jewelry. Dig deeper and one might find padlocks, Venetian masks, lanterns, old-fashioned capes, puppets and ottoman stamps. There is, however, one catch when it comes to purchasing the delights of Karaali’s magical cave. The costume collection is a precious one and therefore items are only given out for rent with a price range of 100-150 Turkish liras per item.
Whether the price is affordable it is definitely worth having a look. Porto Bello is set between a bakery and an electrical appliances shop in Cihangir, minutes away from Taksim center. Cihangir Cad. No: 29, Taylan Apt, Cihangir. Tel: 0212-292 71 23/24
Kostümcüm (my costume shop) caters for all events and budgets. From basic fancy dress costumes and accessories to elaborate handmade costumes and masks Kostümcüm has it all. Carnival celebrations come in different forms; house and street parties are not always specifically themed as in Rio, where carnival themes are established months in advance. For parties that have open dress codes, Kostümcüm gives its customer’s countless options. If it is not enough to get ideas from the friendly staff in their Taksim shop, the outlet also has a Web site with many search options and home delivery for added convenience. Each costume comes with a wide range of accessories allowing buyers to customize their costume to insure they are not identical to other carnival goers. In addition to the choice found at Kostümcüm , the shop is currently offering a wide range of promotions. İstiklal Cad. No:56-E Beyoğlu / İstanbul. www.kostumcum.com. Tel:0212 697 80 80
It is often difficult to tell apart the various vintage clothes stores hidden in Taksim’s shopping passages and it takes some searching to find a unique item amongst the hoards of retrospective clothing from different eras. Made In Love is certainly an exception as its bright window display of glamorous vintage dresses juxtaposed with the colorful manikins accessorized to the fore outside the shop bring the Elhamra passage to life.
Made in Love owner and designer, Nilgun Bilgen, said the shop stands out because the clothes and accessories inside each have a different soul, those make each item unique. The Made In Love style does not conform to any one particular fashion type. The common denominator within the style is that all items share a certain type of quaint elegance. The Made In Love specialty according to Bilgen is that only one of each design is made and sold which ensures that the item purchased is unique to that specific person.
Bilgen, who has worked as a personal fashion advisor in London since 1996 said she personally finds dressing to a specific "fashion" dictated by society through media to be bland and meaningless. " I believe everyone has their own individual style and the way in which they dress should display one’s inner self and character," said Bilgen
According to the Made in Love designers the soul and color of their garments do not truly come alive until they are taken off the hanger and worn by the right person in the right way. "The energy and soul of the garments are released through the synergy of colors materials and accessories and through the way these elements are radiated off, of the individual," said Bilgen.
For a unique and more subtle costume, Made In Love is nestled in the Elhamra Passage just of İstikal high street, once in the passage it cannot be missed, its romantic and fairylike presence will be sure to lure one in.
Although the famous Rio Carnival sets an example for big, bold and colorful, not everyone’s carnival celebrations are led by this example. When carnival celebrations first started in Rio de Janeiro in 1641, the city imported the Paris bourgeoisie celebrations of masquerade balls, which continues to be adopted by people today who tone down their celebrations.
Two costume shops and one vintage boutique in Istanbul’s Taksim area, however, offer bright and colorful alternatives fitting with the celebratory themes of carnival.
Taking its name from the world-renowned hip English market, Porto Bello offers costumes and accessories from every fashion trend of the ’90s. Among the vintage collection that includes designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Paul Shark, Emmanuel Ungaro, Maxi Librati and Armani, Portobello displays a number of original colorful garments designed for masquerade balls and carnival parties. Owner Macide Karaali, has collected items found in the shop from all across Europe and Turkey. One can find everything from colorful fabrics, curtains, clothing, handbags and shoes to wedding dresses, nightgowns, kaftans and silver jewelry. Dig deeper and one might find padlocks, Venetian masks, lanterns, old-fashioned capes, puppets and ottoman stamps. There is, however, one catch when it comes to purchasing the delights of Karaali’s magical cave. The costume collection is a precious one and therefore items are only given out for rent with a price range of 100-150 Turkish liras per item.
Whether the price is affordable it is definitely worth having a look. Porto Bello is set between a bakery and an electrical appliances shop in Cihangir, minutes away from Taksim center. Cihangir Cad. No: 29, Taylan Apt, Cihangir. Tel: 0212-292 71 23/24
Kostümcüm (my costume shop) caters for all events and budgets. From basic fancy dress costumes and accessories to elaborate handmade costumes and masks Kostümcüm has it all. Carnival celebrations come in different forms; house and street parties are not always specifically themed as in Rio, where carnival themes are established months in advance. For parties that have open dress codes, Kostümcüm gives its customer’s countless options. If it is not enough to get ideas from the friendly staff in their Taksim shop, the outlet also has a Web site with many search options and home delivery for added convenience. Each costume comes with a wide range of accessories allowing buyers to customize their costume to insure they are not identical to other carnival goers. In addition to the choice found at Kostümcüm , the shop is currently offering a wide range of promotions. İstiklal Cad. No:56-E Beyoğlu / İstanbul. www.kostumcum.com. Tel:0212 697 80 80
It is often difficult to tell apart the various vintage clothes stores hidden in Taksim’s shopping passages and it takes some searching to find a unique item amongst the hoards of retrospective clothing from different eras. Made In Love is certainly an exception as its bright window display of glamorous vintage dresses juxtaposed with the colorful manikins accessorized to the fore outside the shop bring the Elhamra passage to life.
Made in Love owner and designer, Nilgun Bilgen, said the shop stands out because the clothes and accessories inside each have a different soul, those make each item unique. The Made In Love style does not conform to any one particular fashion type. The common denominator within the style is that all items share a certain type of quaint elegance. The Made In Love specialty according to Bilgen is that only one of each design is made and sold which ensures that the item purchased is unique to that specific person.
Bilgen, who has worked as a personal fashion advisor in London since 1996 said she personally finds dressing to a specific "fashion" dictated by society through media to be bland and meaningless. " I believe everyone has their own individual style and the way in which they dress should display one’s inner self and character," said Bilgen
According to the Made in Love designers the soul and color of their garments do not truly come alive until they are taken off the hanger and worn by the right person in the right way. "The energy and soul of the garments are released through the synergy of colors materials and accessories and through the way these elements are radiated off, of the individual," said Bilgen.
For a unique and more subtle costume, Made In Love is nestled in the Elhamra Passage just of İstikal high street, once in the passage it cannot be missed, its romantic and fairylike presence will be sure to lure one in.