As the Turkish textile industry seeks an exit from the crisis, some brands are seeing new opportunities.
"We are trying to give the best service to our clients with the best quality," said Ergin Turanl?, the founder of La Misura, a Turkish company that produces handmade shirts.
La Misura was launched one year ago, during the worst times of the crisis. "The crisis was an opportunity for us. We entered the market slowly but surely," Ergin Turanl?, founder of La Misura, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review in an interview last week.
"We were a textile company that focused on raw materials of yarn. Thanks to our knowledge of yarn, we were able to choose the best fabrics to make shirts," he said. Speaking about the brand and handmade shirts, Turanl? said, "The quality of the fabric reflects the characteristics of the shirts that we are making."
La Misura uses fibers of Sökta?, a Turkish fabric company, Albini and Monti, Italian fabric companies and Thomas Mason, a British firm. "There are some fabrics which are impossible to use in mass production, such as sea island cotton and Egyptian cotton. We are using those in our shirts. These fabrics are special because the yearn is woven very tight."
Commenting on the timing of the brand’s launch, Turanl? said the firm was planning to launch the brand for the past three years. "We had enough knowledge on raw material, accessories and style. First we have tried ourselves and see how we are doing. The crisis period was a trial time for us," he said.
Noting that La Misura has increased customers from 400 to 500 in one year, Turanl? said, "The key thing is longevity and loyal customers. We want our customers to come back again."
"At first we have started with 400 shirts in one month. Next year we aim to produce 600 shirts in one month," he said. "When we are considering to produce a shirt, we think of cuff links and ties also. We are also offering image consultancy services. Our customers come back to us to see the latest trends in seasonal garments and fabric."
La Misura nowadays plans to expand production. "We are preparing to open a showroom where people can come and check the latest products. We will be focusing on men's wear," Turanl? said.
"The most peculiar thing about La Misura is that the brand considers each detail for the customer," he said. "Every shirt we produce is different. We create a shirt looking at under which conditions the customer works, his travel frequency, the shape of his face, anatomy and his preferences. These factors help us to create the perfect shirt."
La Misura employees also visit clients at their own offices or houses. “Most of our customers are businessmen who do not have enough time to come here,” Turanl? said.
La Misura plans to open up to New York, Dubai, Athens, Moscow and Kiev. Turanl? said particularly the Russian and the Ukrainian markets have big potential.
