As the countdown continues for the 13th IF Wedding Fashion İzmir – Bridal Wear, Groom Wear and Eveningwear Fair, İZFAŞ came together with fair participants and industry professionals at an Information and Evaluation Meeting.
Preparations are ongoing for the 13th IF Wedding Fashion İzmir – Bridal Wear, Groom Wear and Eveningwear Fair, which will be held at fuarizmir as the first fair of 2019. Ahead of the fashion gathering, which is set to open its doors on 22 January, an Information and Advisory Board Meeting was held at the Historic Gasworks Factory. The meeting brought together İZFAŞ Board Member Z. Gül Şener, Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association (EGSD) Chairman Atınç Abay, Aegean Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters’ Association Chairman Burak Sertbaş, Fashion Textile and Apparel Manufacturers and Businesspeople Association Chairman İsmail Sadi Doğan, along with sector professionals, textile manufacturers, designers, and company owners. During the meeting, participants exchanged views on planned actions and key points regarding IF Wedding Fashion İzmir, which will be organized by İZFAŞ, hosted by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, and partnered with EGSD, between 22–25 January.
Şener: We will have a successful fair
İZFAŞ Board Member Gül Şener stated:
“There are about 40 days left until our fair. As İZFAŞ, we believe that with the support of all of you—our partners and stakeholders—we are in a strong preparation phase and will achieve positive results afterward. We believe we will have a successful and beautiful fair. We have done everything we can, and even tried to go beyond that.”
We started from İzmir
Emphasizing that they do not differentiate between producers in İstanbul or other cities, Şener said:
“We aim to be the fair of every company in Türkiye that is capable of production and has the potential to participate in our fair. We are an exhibition company, and by origin, a city-based company. But first, we must ask why a company organizes a fair. Our primary goal is to carry out high-quality work in sectors that will increase Türkiye’s exports and to market that quality work effectively. The reason we organize fairs is to better promote the level Türkiye’s bridal and eveningwear sector has reached on the international stage. What we do is ensure that sectors’ value-added products are marketed correctly. We started from İzmir, and we will continue this path. We have one single goal: first, to meet the needs of the sector and contribute to positioning it where it deserves to be in the global arena; then, as İzmir, to gain a share of the international visitors coming to Türkiye for this purpose.”
Soygül: Visitors from 89 countries will attend
İZFAŞ Sales and Marketing Manager Gökalp Soygül delivered a presentation on the 13th IF Wedding Fashion İzmir. He stated that bridal and groom wear would be located in Hall A, while eveningwear would be in Hall B, and shared details of the 320-day preparation process. Soygül noted that with just a month and a half remaining, the fair had already reached last year’s exhibition area, adding:
“Visitors from nearly every part of the world will be in İzmir and will conduct business with you. There is incredible demand—there are no hotels left in İzmir; we cannot find availability. This year, we will host visitors from 89 countries and from all 81 provinces of Türkiye. Wherever there is an organization in the world, we make sure to be part of it. Our sole aim is to expand our communication network and ensure lasting recognition.”
Sertbaş: This fair is our pride and joy
Burak Sertbaş, Chairman of the Aegean Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters’ Association, said:
“Hopefully, we will experience a very successful fair—we stand fully behind it. This fair is our pride and joy. We try to provide every kind of support, from buyers and stands to incentives. It is a fair built on years of experience. There is no turning back from this point; it will continue like this indefinitely.”
Abay: A source of pride
Atınç Abay, Chairman of the Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association, stated:
“We have gone on an incredible journey since this fair began. There used to be a Bridal and Groom Fair held at Kültürpark in İzmir. We started with around 60 companies, and becoming the largest fair in Europe is a great source of pride. At this point, it feels as though we are competing with ourselves.”