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A la Turca
Imagine the home of an incredibly stylish Turkish woman who has collected treasures, particularly carpets and textiles, who opens her fabulous rooms to you and allows you to shop. That is the feeling of foraging in Erkal Aksoy’s A la Turca showroom. You could just bump into international designers like Mica Ertegun on the hunt for inspiration and collectibles.
Abdulla Natural Products
Abdulla Natural Products in the Grand Bazaar carries thick handmade towels and beautiful cotton sheets, as well as soaps and hammam products. Stock up on the fabulously thick terry beach towels with tasseled edges.
Arzu Kaprol
Another local favorite is Arzu Kaprol (Gisele Bündchen is a fan). Her designs are made from Turkish silks, leathers and wools, and range in price from $300 to about $1,400 for her popular leather jackets.
Asli Gunsiray
This furnishings store sells very chic furniture and decorative objects, many with inlaid mother-of-pearl accents.
Bee Goddess
Inspired by mythological symbols and figures (Artemis, Minerva, amongst others), the delicate jewelry at Bee Goddess is meant to bring happiness and good fortune. Cufflinks, pendants and bracelets are some of the pieces for sale.
Beymen
This, along with Vakko, is one of the city’s premiere department stores. Beymen is more classic, similar to Bergdorf Goodman. Beymen’s Nişantaşi location also has a very popular café-restaurant with street-level seating in front of big windows.
Beymen Nişantaşı
The trendy fashion arm of Beymen feels like a funky East Village gallery turned boutique with a loft-like feeling, hip music and accessories and clothing from cutting-edge designers and beloved cult brands like Isabel Marant as well as the original Blender label. There are multiple levels devoted to international labels and gear from vintage records and quirky objects to bicycles—all for cool-hunting men and women.
Çikita at the Spice Bazaar
Cocoon
Seref Ozen and Mustafa Gokhan Demir are two of the foremost dealers in Central Asian textiles. In their shop in the Sultanahmet district, you’ll find high-quality rugs and textiles showcasing the tribal arts.
Dervis
Visit this chic stall in the Grand Bazaar (there are two locations) after experiencing a hammam treatment at Ayasofya Hamami or Four Seasons Bosphorus. They sell colorful Turkish towels, soaps, loofahs and even the metal water bowls used in the baths.
EV+
Designer and Parsons-educated artist Yael Mesulam Manzakoglu has one of the most special stores in Nişantaşi. At EV+, she carries a gorgeous selection of embroidered linens that make excellent gifts. Look for the delicate nightgowns as well as terry cloth towels and tablecloths.
Fey
Founded by a veteran editor of Turkish fashion magazines, Fey offers timeless and elegant clothing from its own brand in addition to vintage attire, accessories and home décor.
Fy-shan Glass Studio
Founded by the glass artist Felekşan Onar, this glass studio produces gorgeous decorative objects, functional art and lighting.
Galata Antiques
Stocked with rare home décor pieces from the 1920’s to 1970’s, Galata Antiques is a treasure trove for interior design mavens. The gemlike, basement-level store boasts curated pieces that range in price but are consistently high quality.
Gallery Suav
This fabulous gallery sells locally made fashions and housewares from delicate silver spoons and colorful ceramic plates and tiles to fantastic crocheted caftans and sweaters— a showcase of traditional Ottoman crafts.
Gilan
This family-owned luxury jewelry house crafts exquisite pieces inspired by Ottoman art and the history of Istanbul.
Gönül Paksoy
The city’s old-money socialites go crazy for Gönul Paksoy’s exotic creations—one-of-a-kind tunics and robe-like dresses inspired by Sufi whirling dervishes. A chemist by training, Paksoy dips the handwoven linens and silks in her self-made dyes, then pieces them together with antique fabrics she finds on her travels.
Grand Bazaar
First-time travelers will get lost—but also have a lot of fun—in the cavernous tunnels of the Grand Bazaar, a 400-year-old indoor shopping complex, where you can satisfy all of your indigenous souvenir desires. The Bazaar houses over 4,000 shops that sell everything from carpets to crockery to leather goods. If you’re going with a group of friends and split up, be sure to agree on an easy-to-find meeting point. Foodies should also visit the nearby Spice Bazaar. Contact Indagare for suggestions on a personal shopper who can help guide you through the trove. Closed Sunday.
Gül Hürgel
The chic fashions at Gul Hurgel are inspired by the coastal style of the Mediterranean and are perfect for warm-weather getaways.
Haremlique
Opened by Caroline Koç, whose family has a long tradition in the Turkish textile business, and designer Banu Yentur, Haremlique offers gorgeous linens for a modern harem moment in the bath or bedroom. The supple cotton sheets and terry towels can be custom ordered for yachts or with your initials and come in gorgeous colors. The attractive shop also sells their signature cashmere throws and fabrics and great gift items like coffee sets and candles.
Hersey Aşk'tan
Turkish delight, otherwise known as lokum, first appeared in Ottoman palaces during the 15th century. The delicacy was most often made from molasses, honey, flour and water. Tons of different varieties can be found in Turkey today–some made almost entirely of chopped dates or pistachio. Movie buffs and readers will remember the pivotal role played by the sweet in the story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This tiny boutique sells the most beautifully packaged gift boxes of freshly made Turkish delight. You can sample a half dozen varieties from rose water to cinnamon and then pick from the many colorful boxes decorated with evil eye charms or golden hands of Fatima to be packaged while you wait.
Iznik Classics
For colorful, lead-free pottery, stop by Iznik Classics’ boutique in the Grand Bazaar. They are not antiques but are based on older designs and are reasonably priced.
Janset Bilgin
This hip jewelry designer has been written up by The New York Times and was one of the first to champion the Galata neighborhood as one of Istanbul’s new artist enclaves.
Janset Bilgin Jewelry
The lovely Janset Bilgin is behind this jewelry-cum-home textiles shop. She is a gifted designer and her necklaces, bracelets and earrings of hammered metal, cord and semi-precious stones, are made in a small workshop in the back.
Kafkas
One of the city’s top jewelers, Kafkas has several locations in Istanbul, but the owners are frequently here at their bazaar outpost. There are many original designs, which include both modern and vintage inspired pieces.
Kanyon
Everyone raves about the Kanyon Mall, a high-end shopping complex (designed by the Los Angeles–based Jerde Partnership, which created Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills) with everything from Harvey Nichols to a Wagamama restaurant to an Apple store.
Lokum
The Istanbul equivalent of Paris’ Ladurée, this aptly-named shop is famous for its lokum (Turkish delight). The interior is as enticing as the sweets, with toile wallpaper and black lacquer cabinets that display the boutique’s curated stock, which also includes books, candles, perfumes and bath products.