If you know Istanbul, then you know that Karaköy is one of the most popular places to be. With new cafés, shops and restaurants opening at an astonishing rate, this area of Istanbul is at the prime of its rapid growth. And what more to add to the growing culture than a bazaar.Souq (pronounced "suuk") is an Arabic word meaning marketplace. This bazaar is the perfect place to get into the spirit of Karaköy. Souq is erected once a month in Karaköy Külah and welcomes upcoming designers and brands, vintage clothes and a variety of handmade goods, making it the perfect place to make a name while also making friends. The setup of the bazaar is simple yet unique, and combines different stands with different styles. Each area is decorated with whatever the owner brings from their home, office, bakery or shop, which brings the atmosphere of the store to the streets. Each stand owner is given his or her own area of space and artistic freedom to create and design. If they want to throw down a rug and some pillows or if they want to cover a whole wall with pictures, they can, and all the ideas are unique and interesting.The interest toward pop-up retro-vintage fashion in Turkey, especially in Istanbul, has created an immense demand for new places for this fashion wave to be exhibited. Eager designers and stylists are looking for places to showoff their creations, and fashion lovers are constantly in seek of places where they can get their hands on the latest fashion trends. Souq has achieved this atmosphere by creating a fashion-centered bazaar with many new designers and brands. Handpicked collections and trendsetting names are among the many things that fashion lovers can look for at Souq. The market creates a place for both up and coming designers as well as established ones to display their pieces and collections. Clothes, shoes, handbags and many other accessories up to date with the latest fashion can be found at this paradise for fashion lovers.Souq has something for everyone; if you are not a fashion lover, you can surely find something at the music and book stands. You can find stands with rows of records and compact disks of your favorite bands, shelves full of books to be read and you can listen to live concerts of your favorite local bands jamming. In fact, the cultural aspect of the bazaar brings together art enthusiasts with fashion lovers who create a unique environment. This unconventional marketplace also has a variety of activities you can participate in whether it be painting boards or taking part in an origami-making lesson. The workshops are held by people willing to share and teach a talent and can be taken by anyone eager to learn. You can also get a taste of the delicious snacks they offer. Stands of handmade treats and drinks will keep up company and your taste buds happy throughout the weekend. Stands selling coffee, lemonade, tea and brownies offer yummy treats you can choose from.I got a chance to talk with the founder of Souq, Yaprak Aras, about this innovative marketplace.Daily Sabah: How did the idea of creating Souq come about?Aras: Well, it started with me wanting to sell my second-hand outfits. My friend Ece Sükan [model, fashion editor and actress] and I wanted to sell the clothes we weren't wearing anymore. We had to pay rent, so we wanted to think of a creative way to do this. We set up in Külah because we knew the area and how we could utilize the neighborhood. After thinking of this idea, we decided to invite designers and brands as well.DS: How did the project come to life?Aras: The project came to life very quickly. We decided to do it and it just happened, so it did not really go through a long project-planning period. It started out in an amateur way and just took off.DS: Why did you decide to call it Souq?Aras: I wanted an identifying feature of the gathering. We hear of garage sales and bazaars and markets all the time, but I wanted this one to be different from the rest. I thought of the name Souq […] and it just stuck.DS: Who helps you with Souq?Aras: It's nothing professional, our crew is my friends and I. We set up and clean up afterwards. The creative art direction is up to us as well. It's a friendly environment all around and people who come can sense this.This month's bazaar will be held on Oct. 17, 18 and 19 in Karaköy Külah. Throughout the weekend, you can expect to see Niyazi Erdoğan's backpacks from his exclusive brand, Niyo, stylist Hakan Bahar's carefully chosen collection of vintage clothes – Monser Vintage – Ece Sükan's Pop-Up Vintage collection, Mehry Mu's tasseled bags and much more.