How to ‘buy’?: Burak Turan & Tahlia Aycan
When you’re excitedly shifting through rails of meticulously designed and beautifully-cut clothing in a luxury store you might not think about how the collections you saw on the catwalk came to be hanging right in front of you. But this integral job is the role of fashion buyers, some of the most influential people in the industry, who shape the way we shop and each season select and point us towards the latest key trends. We meet with Burak Turan, Menswear Buyer of Beymen Blender and Tahlia Aycan, Womenswear Buyer of Beymen Blender.
What is the key point that activates people for Beymen Blender?
Burak Turan: Beymen Blender is a ‘Destination of Style and Fashion Culture’. We present the last trends with a good service and the confidence of ‘Beymen’ brand.
Tahlia Aycan: They feel themselves as a part of this world with the products they bought.
We observe that the interest to the alternative brands is increasing lately. How do you interpret this situation?
Burak Turan: The shopping habits of “Millenial” generation has changed the equations in the sector significantly. People are shopping with the ‘buy now, wear now’ motto even in the luxury category. When some of the important brands are late to reflex to this situation, we see that new and powerful brands which observes the expectations of new generation and almost completely satisfy them are coming. With this, brands started to offer novelties with spanning their traditional boundaries independently from their segments by working with each other and with role model celebrities. This ensured the raise of new look and alternative brands which are suitable to this look. Some of them are gain an important seat in fashion world by revealing successful jobs.
Tahlia Aycan: We have started to see same brands and silhouttes on every one with the effect of social media lately. People who want to wear differently or express themselves in different ways are started to be interested in alternative brands.
What is the importance of the “Trend Forcasting” word in industry?
Burak Turan: To predict the next trend is one of the most important elemets in the sector. There are brands that we may call as “trendsetters” and “trendfollowers” with no doubt, to observe them closely and to see what is coming next is very important. But, it is as important as to predict the timing of this trend and in which market/culture this trend would be successful.
Tahlia Aycan: As a buyer, you need to be one season ahead and determine the trends correctly. ‘Trend Forecasting’ is very important to predict which trends will become more important and which ones are suitable for Turkey market.
“Digitalized world causes the transfer of collections to the streets. And this causes fast consuming in fashion more than ever.” Tahlia Aycan
What do you pay attention while you are choosing the brands for Blender?
Tahlia Aycan: While we are choosing Beymen Blender brands, we are paying attention to choose what makes people excited and brands which have authentic personality.
When you think of your past, are there any remarkable memories that highlights your desire to do this job?
Burak Turan: When I was a child, I admired my father’s oufits and style, I secretly used his shirts, ties and accessorizes. I think, I have decided to do this job after the domination of my wish to be on the factory floor of this job and to examine the fashion in realtime.
What do you think about unbreakable relationship of fashion and streetstyle in last years?
Burak Turan: Streetstyle and fashion are two facts that infitnitely influenced from each other and always moving together. However, contrary to traditional fashion, in streetstyle, collections are born from the customer in other words from the streets. In someway, we may define this as ‘the style that streets want’, it proceed more organical. But, we need fashion to turn this individual streetstyles into a concept and to transmit this concept to large mass. We may consider the successful collaborations in between big brands and streetstyle brands as an example to that.
Tahlia Aycan: I think social media is in the center of this relationship. People that we called as ‘Influencer’ who have lots of followers and attracts everybody with their actions, are started to direct the fashion nearly more than a brand. On the other hand, reachability of a fashion show on the internet, causes lots of “fast fashion” brands to transfer this to streets. And this causes fast consuming in fashion more than ever.
Think about the all buying processes that you faced until now, from which piece have you influenced the most?
Burak Turan: The collaboration between the brands are more excites me than a specific piece. I can say, Adidas X Alexander Wang is the collection that I like the most. Again, Marcelo Burlon X Muhammad Ali and Puma X Ader Error collections are one of the excited collaborations for me.
Tahlia Aycan: There have been lots of pieces that I have influenced. But Dries Van Noten’s collections are my all time favorites.
Do you believe in the power of trends?
Burak Turan: Trends are effecting in some way the restaurant that we eat, our travel destinations and the outfits that we wear, with no doubt. However the important thing in here is to blend the trends with our personality and to create our own trends.
What do you think about persistency of brands like Vetements and Off-White which are bamburner and simply the meaning of “cool” in the streets?
Burak Turan: There is a really important reason why and how Off-White and the equivalent brands have been the real bamburners and playmakers in the sector, and this is they offer something else from the existing. I believe that the brands which have this vision and courage and not avoid from the changes, they are here to stay for long long years.
“The shopping habits of “Millenial” generation has changed the equations in the sector significantly.” Burak Turan
In SS2019 collections, which young brands have influenced you?
Burak Turan: GCDS, Carhartt, Marcelo Burlon, Stone Island and Versace Versus collection are the most influential young brands.
Tahlia Aycan: Since I found its ‘Mood’ and the enviromental friendly materials that it’s using very inspiring; Nanushka.
Hints for SS2019 trends?
Burak Turan: Streetstyle is going to dominate every segment of fashion in 2019. We will face with lots of kitsch references to the 80’s like neon colors, reflective details and floral patterns.
Tahlia Aycan: Most of the designers have turned towards the environmental materials due to increase in global warming and the other environmental problems. This trend, which is started with vegan leather and eco-fur in 2018 Winter collections, appears with the natural materials like linen and natural colors that includes less chemicals in it.
What are the best pieces of SS 2019 collections?
Burak Turan: GCDS reflector raincoat, Amiris tie-dyed hoodie and Kenzo tracksuit.
Tahlia Aycan: Daily Paper 90’s inpired tie-dye sweatshirts, Hayley Menzies long cardigans, Nanushka scarf printed shorts, RL Polo linen shirts.