What went down at the MBFWI?
One of the most important events of the fashion world… ‘4 days marathon’ from runway to backstage, press to influencers, but especially for designers… Of course, we are talking about Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Istanbul! For the 13th time, it brought the most important names of Turkish fashion scene and reached more than 20k visitors. As we watched AW 2019 collections of designers who we are very familiar from previous years, there were also brand new names in the line-up! Outstanding collections of 36 designers were on the runway in MBFWI. With interviews, panel discussions, workshops and pop-up stores, The Core also welcomed visitors and buyers, to bring them together. This year’s theme was; Carnival.
DAY 1
In the very first day, Eda Gungor took her audience to a little trip to the end of 80’s with her Prêt-à-Couture brand M.O.F.C. She referred to modern, attractive, assertive and practical women andin her ‘Nightbird’ collection. The selection of jersey, leather and sequin as main fabrics influenced from the fun night life of that time period. The way the colors like green, mustard, copper, purple, fuchsia, saxe, ecru and black tones used made a strong impression. Accessorizes and hair styles were such supporters to the referred era.
DAY 2
One of the impressive shows of the second day belonged to Gizem Ogan Yazgan with her brand; House of OGAN. As she influenced from modern and independent women figures, she combined masculine forms with feminine details in her collection ‘DAWN’. As assertive outerwear designs were prominent on the runway, double sided pieces also attracted attentions with their practical usages.
Ozlem Kaya with her ‘Back to School’ themed show was the other remarkable event of the day. The way that she combined black, green, red, powder and white colors with plaid and stripe patterns created matching silhouettes with dynamic and young collection. While wool, silk and cotton fabrics were dominating the designs, chiffons and laces supported the feminine attitude.
Independent and self-living women silhouettes were the influencers of Mehtap Elaidi in her #ITSMETIME collection. She designed bags, accessorizes and jewelries besides clothes for the first time. Designs were produced by vegan leather, knit, poplin and grizzled fabrics. Flower, stripe and polka-dot patterns were accompanies of beige, black, white, cherry and petrol green colors.
DAY 3
Giray Sepin was in the line-up of day 3 and his collection ‘RE‘ is presented. As the name of collection referred to re-making appendix, Re-edit, Re-construction, Re- born were the inspiration… But yet the main concept was Re-work. In the collection that unites corporate life with street style, different work uniforms and suits combined with each other.
‘Mercedes Benz presents Ozgur Masur’ show literally brought the 80’s disco spirit back to MBFWI with a party! With his “It is impossible to remain unresponsive to 80’s glittery world.” statement, he based his collection to disco effected fabrics, velvets, dotted silk tulles and diamond shape broiders. His “Silhouettes are all out of dashing, feminine and free with the rhythms of Dalida…” words demonstrate that he referred to the 80’s Italia in his new collection. The way that he created sparkling and self-confident women silhouettes, couture and ready-to-wear gathered together in the show.
DAY 4
The joyful show of the last day ‘Joy’, carried Gulcin Cengel’s designs to the runway. Collection went beyond the sexual norms by the muse of 1966 production movie ‘Daisies’. Black and grey-blue tones were the main colors of feminine, romantic, sophisticated, naïve and exaggerated designs. As she united dynamic and different fabrics with fuchsia broiders, gems and beads pointed her cool attitude out. The way that boiler suits and cocktail dresses met on the same runway created a fun attitude, ‘Joy’ was such a contrast collection.
