Florentia Village, Türkiye’s first luxury designer outlet developed to international standards, officially opened in Istanbul with a gala featuring a large-scale performance by Balich Wonder Studio.
About 4,000 people attended the opening event, including Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, district governors, mayors and nongovernmental organization representatives, as well as figures from the business, arts, sports and entertainment worlds.
Developed through a partnership between Kalyon Construction and Italy-based RDM-Fingen Group, Florentia Village brings together fashion, gastronomy, culture, art and entertainment at a single destination.
Kalyon Construction Chair Murathan Kalyoncu and RDM Italia CEO Jacopo Mazzei hosted the opening gala. Kalyon Holding Chair Cemal Kalyoncu, Kalyon Foundation President Reyhan Kalyoncu, Kalyon Holding Deputy Chair Lütfi Elvan and Kalyon Holding board members Haluk Kalyoncu, Mehmet Kalyoncu and Kübra Kalyoncu also attended the event.
Among the guests were businessperson and television personality Acun Ilıcalı, former national football coach Fatih Terim, football manager Okan Buruk, actress Hande Erçel, singer Burak Kut, chef Danilo Zanna and fashion figure Buse Terim, alongside other prominent names from Turkish business, sports, arts and social circles.
East meets West
For the opening, Balich Wonder Studio designed a performance titled "Intersecting Worlds,” which spread across the venue’s streets, squares, gardens and main stage.
The Italian production company has staged 17 Olympic ceremonies and was behind the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, according to information provided for the event.
The Florentia Village performance brought together Türkiye and Italy, as well as East and West and the past and future, through opera, music, dance, fashion and visual arts.
The show began on the venue’s main staircase with a performance featuring two pianos, followed by an opera section featuring arias by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini.
One of the evening’s main scenes featured a contemporary interpretation of an Ottoman galleon. Accompanied by music and lighting effects, the large structure appeared above the venue as if floating in the sky.
Models portraying passengers arriving from the galleon then presented a theatrical fashion performance on the main staircase. The costumes were specially created for the opening by designers including Mahmut Danışan, DEQ, Selçuk Durdu, Tuba Ergin, Sudi Etuz, Özlem Kaya, Mysa Moon, Meltem Özbek, Belma Özdemir, Buket Özkalfalar, Souvie, Halit Tiryaki, Tuvanam and Gökhan Yavaş.
The performance later moved into Florentia Village’s squares and gardens. Five travelers wearing costumes designed by Ayşe Gülru Rovelli, who has 18 years of experience working on international productions, guided guests through different parts of the venue.
The program included a theatrical scene inspired by the Eastern Express, a live graffiti performance dedicated to Istanbul’s cats, dance performances interpreting the meeting of East and West, and illuminated garden installations.
The performances concluded with a finale at Luxury Square. At 9 p.m., the outlet stores opened their doors to their first visitors.
‘A shared dream’
Speaking at the opening, Kalyon Construction Chairman Murathan Kalyoncu said the project was the result of a partnership between Kalyon Construction and RDM-Fingen Group.
"Florentia Village is the result of a shared dream, belief and strong friendship,” Kalyoncu said.
He said the project brought together Italian aesthetics and Turkish hospitality, as well as RDM-Fingen Group’s international retail experience and Kalyon Construction’s engineering and investment expertise.
"Our aim was not only for our guests to shop here, but also to live, discover, have fun, create beautiful memories and leave happy,” Kalyoncu said.
Kalyoncu also described Florentia Village as the first step in the company’s "Airport City” vision, which he said would contribute to the development of a new economic and tourism ecosystem around Istanbul Airport.
RDM Italia CEO Jacopo Mazzei said the project was the result of more than a decade of efforts to find the right location and partners.
"Istanbul is a world city with extraordinary energy and potential that brings together Europe and Asia, different cultures and traditions,” Mazzei said.
He said the project combined Florence’s heritage and design approach with Istanbul’s character.
"Today is not the end of our journey, but a strong beginning for Florentia Village to become one of Istanbul’s new meeting points for local and international visitors,” Mazzei said.
$291 million investment
Florentia Village was developed with a 250 million euro ($291 million) investment by Kalyon Construction and RDM-Fingen Group. According to the project information, about $207 million in foreign funding was brought into Türkiye.
The first phase was completed in about 1.5 years and covers 65,000 square meters of leasable space with 190 stores, alongside gastronomy and social areas.
Brands at the destination include Prada, Moncler, Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren, Hugo and Boss. The project combines luxury and premium outlet stores with full-price retail.
Ferragamo opened its first mono-brand boutique investment in Türkiye at Florentia Village, while Nike is making a direct investment in Türkiye at the head-office level after about a decade, according to the company.
The project states that visitors can access international brands with average price reductions of between 30% and 70%.
Gastronomy is another part of the development, with casual and fine dining restaurants, Turkish cuisine, coffee shops and fast-food options. Doğuş Group’s CASA brand operates at the destination, while The Shelter brings different dining concepts together under a food hall model.
A five-star hotel is also planned for a later stage, with negotiations with Marriott Group reportedly at the final stage. The project includes a concert and event center with a capacity of 20,000 people, which is planned to host local and international artists and events.
Expansion planned
The second phase is planned to add another 45,000 square meters (484,376 square feet) of leasable space, bringing the total to 110,000 square meters.
The company aims to make Florentia Village one of Europe’s largest outlet centers and among the largest in the world. It expects the destination to attract more than 15 million visitors annually and provide direct employment for more than 5,000 people.
The project is targeting visitors from Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Its long-term goal is for international visitors to account for more than 40% of total visitors.
Located about five minutes from Istanbul Airport, Florentia Village also has a metro station at its entrance. The connection provides access to central parts of Istanbul in about 25 minutes, according to the company.
With road links to both the European and Asian sides of the city, the development is positioned as a new destination for shopping, gastronomy, culture, art and entertainment in Istanbul.