Istanbul launches fashion week

A model displays creations during the first day of Istanbul Fashion Week (IFW) 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey, Aug. 25, 2010.

Istanbul kicked off its third annual fashion week on Wednesday, as part of the European Capital of Culture 2010 activities.

Istanbul Fashion Week 2010 features 21 catwalk shows from 20 designers and 6 brands, where Turkish designers present their Spring/Summer 2011 collections.

The event showcases not just the Turkish fashion community but also the Turkish textile industry, including the Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporter Associations (IHKIB), one of the organizers of event.

"Turkey now seeks to prove to the world it has gone beyond just being a (textile) producer and is heading towards being a country that creates and designs fashion," said Zafer Caglayan, state minister in charge of foreign trade.

One of the goals of fashion week is to develop Turkish apparel exports, which currently amount to 15 billion U.S. dollars annually. IHKIB Chairman Hikmet Tanriverdi said with events like this, the numbers are expected to reach 20 billion dollars in the mid-term, and reach up to 60 billion dollars by 2023.

As for whether Istanbul could be up there with Paris, Milan and New York as a fashion capital, Turkish Exporters Assembly President Mehmet Buyukeksi said the city has every means by which to be such a center, speaking of its large production capacity and many investments made in the design industry.

The four-day fashion week is expected to bring nearly 40,000 visitors, including over 500 from abroad, including editors from international fashion magazines and purchasing representatives from famous international brands.