New fashion collection pays homage to Grand Bazaar's craftsmen

The diverse culture of craftsmen in Turkey's Grand Bazaar will be reflected in a special fashion collection which celebrates the historic venue's 555th anniversary on Sunday this week. In partnership with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Faruk Saraç and the Fashion and Arts Foundation have prepared traditional handiworks of the Grand Bazaar's craftsmen, including the creations of jewelry designers, mother-of-pearl craftsmen, shoemakers and quilt makers. Renowned fashion designer Faruk Saraç and his team have worked diligently to revive former trends in old, traditional-style clothing, conducting painstaking research to learn how to weave clothing using traditional techniques and to design accessories. The event will be sponsored by the Prime Ministry Promotion Fund.

Saraç previously introduced collections such as "Tılsım" (Talisman), "Geçmişten Günümüze Polis" (Police from the Past to the Present), "Padişahın Esvabı" (The Sultan's Attires) and "Sarı Zeybek" (The Yellow Blonde).

The Grand Bazaar, located on Istanbul's touristy historical peninsula, is the most famous marketplace in Turkey. The bazaar is the oldest and largest place to shop for traditional Turkish souvenirs and was once a popular place for Istanbul's upper-social class. The bazaar used to operate inside two warehouses, the Inner Bedesten and Sandal Bedesten before it was rebuilt by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror who conquered Constantinople.