Hasancan Meşelik’s “Anthea” Collection Captivated the Audience
A new star was born at IF Wedding Fashion İzmir Fair, which shapes the future of fashion together with young designers. Award-winning designer Hasancan Meşelik from the 12th Bridal Gown Design Competition presented his 22-piece “Anthea” collection on the runway at the Performance Fashion Show held within the scope of the 16th IF Wedding Fashion İzmir. Inspired by the flowers of the Aegean, the elegant and eye-catching collection received a standing ovation.
The IF Wedding Fashion İzmir – Bridal, Groom and Evening Wear Fair opened its doors for the 16th time. Organized between 22–25 November 2022 under the hostship of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality by İZFAŞ in partnership with the Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association, the fair brings together 222 exhibitors from Turkey and 10 different countries, representing evening wear, bridal gowns, groom wear, accessories, and children’s wear. The fair is expected to welcome thousands of domestic professional visitors as well as nearly 3,000 international visitors. As Europe’s largest fair in its sector where fashion trends are shaped, IF Wedding Fashion İzmir continues to inspire young designers’ dreams and introduce new talents to the fashion world.
Within the Bridal Gown Design Competition, which gives designer candidates the opportunity to stage their first professional fashion shows, Hasancan Meşelik—who won an award last year—presented his “Performance Fashion Show” on the third day of the fair. His bridal and evening wear collection, designed around the word “Anthea,” meaning the goddess and lady of flowers in Ancient Greek as well as a floral landscape, deeply impressed the audience. During the show, dancers wearing costumes also sewn by Meşelik accompanied the models with a special choreography.
Contributing to the national economy every year, IF Wedding Fashion İzmir not only showcases designs that shape global fashion but also introduces new designers to the industry. Presenting his first professional fashion show, Meşelik appeared before representatives of the fashion and design world with a refined collection inspired by Aegean flowers, entirely featuring hand-crafted floral details. The 22-piece collection—8 in color and 14 in white—received full marks from fashion professionals.
A Special Plaque from Özuslu
Following the Performance Fashion Show, Deputy Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mustafa Özuslu presented Hasancan Meşelik with a commemorative plaque and wished him continued success. İZFAŞ General Manager Canan Karaosmanoğlu Alıcı presented a plaque of appreciation to Serkan Duman, owner of Duman Agency and choreography sponsor of the show, while Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association President Hayati Ertuğrul presented a plaque to Mehmet Bilgin, owner of Prenses Textile, the fabric sponsor.
“I Want to Be on the Runway with My Own Brand Next Year”
The bridal and evening wear collection inspired by “Anthea” was brought to life with the support of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, İZFAŞ, the Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association, and Prenses Textile. Expressing that he drew inspiration from Aegean flowers, Meşelik said:
“First of all, being on this runway—where I was a contestant last year—with my own designs is an incredible feeling. I would like to thank everyone who made this possible and who inspires young designers by opening doors for them. Behind these designs lies the effort not only of myself but also of a large team and many supporters. I have been preparing for this for months. Recently, I established my own brand and atelier. Next year, I want to be here at this fair and on this runway with my own brand and my own designs. My goal is to first expand in Turkey and then open up to Europe and the world.”
Meanwhile, on its third day, IF Wedding Fashion İzmir continued to host runway shows where brands presented their new collections. Solo shows by Swan, Alin Abiye, and Alamo, along with the Closing Fashion Show collective runway and a collective show in the Trunk Show area, were also held, featuring many distinguished models.