At the “Ready-to-Wear in İzmir and Turkey” panel held within the scope of IF Wedding Fashion İzmir – 13th Bridal Wear, Groom Wear and Eveningwear Fair, the importance of design in increasing sales and exports came to the forefront.
Leading figures of the industry agreed on the view that “It is not easy to sell a standard product in either domestic or international markets. In doing so, the importance of design becomes evident.”
Hosted by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, organized by İZFAŞ in partnership with the Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association (EGSD), IF Wedding Fashion İzmir – 13th Bridal Wear, Groom Wear and Eveningwear Fair continues to welcome industry professionals from all over the world. Alongside various fashion shows, special designs, and B2B meetings, panel discussions addressing sector-related topics also attracted great interest. At the “Ready-to-Wear in İzmir and Turkey” panel held in the Designers Area, the main focus was on designs and collections, with speakers emphasizing that special designs significantly increase sales and exports.
Moderating the panel, Mukadder Özden, Vice President of the Fashion and Ready-to-Wear Federation, stated:
“Thanks to this fair, many things have changed both in Turkey and in İzmir. After the runway show of the 10th International Bridal Gown Design Competition, we have heard from industry representatives saying, ‘There were designs we really liked; we want to meet those designers.’ We see an increasing number of entrepreneurs who once participated in the competition and now own their own businesses. Thanks to fairs, participants from all over the country have advanced their businesses very successfully. There is prosperity in movement.”
Abay: Design and collections now sell
Atınç Abay, Chairman of the Board of the Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association (EGSD), said:
“As long as there are people, they will first eat, then dress, and then seek shelter. Whatever you do—especially in exports—designs and collections are what sell today. It is not easy to sell a standard product in domestic or international markets. This clearly shows the importance of design. Human resources are therefore very important in Turkey. Our infrastructure is very strong.”
Emphasizing the importance of the Bridal Gown Design Competition, held for the 10th time this year, Abay added:
“As an association, we wanted to show companies with no export experience how they could export and where and how they could sell their products. At a certain point, we realized we were stuck. We saw that if Europeans are to buy from us, they need designs that match their own traditions, customs, and market structures. With this in mind, we set out on this path, and the competition emerged. Our competition has achieved tremendous growth. Along with the development of the fair, designs have expanded and evolved significantly, and exports have also increased.”
Sertbaş: We sell our designs
Stating that exports increased in 2018 and that they were hopeful for 2019, Burak Sertbaş, Chairman of the Aegean Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters’ Association, said:
“As exporters, we closely follow the current agenda. Marketing techniques have changed; we have now reached a point where we sell design. Our companies have adapted accordingly. We sell our designs. We are now in direct competition with the Far East. We were already superior in terms of quality, and we are now approaching them in terms of price as well. However, Europe remains our main market. In the past two months, due to contraction in Europe, we have also experienced a slowdown in exports. As long as we continue exporting, we will find new markets. We will sell these products. Our infrastructure is extremely strong—one of the few in the world in textiles and ready-to-wear. With this infrastructure, we will never face serious difficulties.”
Gıyasettin Eyyüpkoca, Chairman of the Laleli Industrialists and Businesspeople Association (LASİAD), stated:
“We would like to thank everyone who organized such an event in İzmir. It is a wonderful and outstanding achievement. There is a giant body of work here, and I see people working like ants with incredible dedication. Looking from Istanbul, İzmir’s infrastructure is enviable, supported by tremendous commitment and effort.”