Turkish manufacturers hold fashion night in Moscow

Russians flocked to the Pro Fashion Masters Competition gala organized by Turkish textile manufacturers in Moscow, Russia. Presented by Oxana Fedorova, Miss Universe 2002, the finalists introduced their stylish designs. Well-known people of Russia appeared in the young designers' clothes, and former Russian spy Anna Chapman, who has recently been involved in the textile industry, was the surprising guest of the night. Businessman Hulki Öz, the event's organizer and the owner of Oğuz Prestij, said he came up this idea when he visited famous Russian designer Slava Zaitsev to introduce his company's cloths. Öz later negotiated with Pro Fashion Masters, a Russian magazine, for the event's arrangements. "We wanted to organize a competition among young designers studying at universities, institutes or fashion houses in Russia. The organization was properly promoted via social and print media. We received over 500 designs from all around the country," he said, adding that the event was a great opportunity to promote Turkish products as well as had many commercial advantages. "Many Russian channels have advertised our event, which is a great promotion opportunity for us," he said. Chapman stressed that Russia imports fabric from Turkey, as Russia does not produce a sufficient amount of textile materials. "Turkey is very close to us and custom procedures are easy to handle. When we import materials from China, it takes a long time to receive. However, we design fast fashion featuring trendy collections that change quickly," she said, underscoring that time management is crucial for their job. Chapman said many Turkish producers come and open offices in Moscow and offer suitable working conditions for Russians. "We also understand each other's language. I come to Turkey every three months and find Turkish fabrics are of high-quality. I like all Turkish products, and even Turkish men," she said. Ümit Yardım, Turkey's ambassador to Moscow, said the event is a concrete example of the commercial and financial cooperation between Turkey and Russia and that such events contribute to the cultural, social and art worlds of the two countries.