cntraveler.com
10.04.2024
Where to Shop in Istanbul as the City Spills Over With Creative Delights
When Galataport, Istanbul's new waterfront shopping complex and cruise terminal, opened along the Bosphorus in late 2021, a major highlight was the revamped Ottoman-era post office, a grand open-plan space dedicated to homegrown Turkish brands. Now the site of some 250 stores, the bustling retail hub reflects a tradition dating back to the early days of Istanbul's 500-year-old Grand Bazaar, when artisans, or “usta,” composed such a lauded echelon of Turkish society that streets were named after them. Visit today and you'll still see signage decorated with odes to the Halıcılar (carpet makers), Kuyumcular (goldsmiths), Aynacılar (mirror makers), and many other craftspeople whose wares line the arcades. But contemporary Turkish creatives are also attracting global attention far beyond the walls of the world's most famous bazaar, thanks to modern twists on jewelry, fashion, furniture, and textile techniques rooted in the rich history of the Ottoman era. And in doing so, they're shaping the futures of the Istanbul neighborhoods they call home.