TURKTS Wright delight

Sustainability is the new street cred in Istanbul. From startups to megabrands (and everything in between), the city's coolest creatives are looking to the past to design their future

- Martin Jacobs

THE DAY I VISIT FASHION DESIGNER BAHAR GÖZKÜN IN HER ISTANBUL STUDIO, a pet rabbit hops across the floor. Having previously gnawed at chair legs within the space (an apartment near Galata Tower), it's now on the hunt for something tastier. With this firmly in mind, Gözkün, onehalf of the design duo behind the innovative menswear label Civan, has stored all garments, accessories and objects of value beyond the bunny's reach. This includes shelves worth of vintage fabrics and buttons, some dating back to the '60s, all lovingly sourced from Turkey and beyond. Civan looks to the past to reinvent the future, upcycling decades-old fabrics to be more sustainable. This makes the label particularly relevant to Istanbul's fashion scene. These materials along with details such unusually-shaped collars and belt loops, as pockets, clashing trims and, in some instances, shirts that button at the back characterise pieces in the label's -collections, including the brand's wedding line, Ceremony.

For a city as ancient as Istanbul, centuries old, valued for its past and famed for its historic sites, it - like Gözkün - is embracing the future through its design-savvy moves towards sustainability. Avoid the beaten tracks, the Grand Bazaar's tourist-centric labyrinthine passageways, and cramped stores peddling fake designer brands on almost every corner, and you'll find a growing number of admirable young brands hotels, restaurants, fashion and more - with increased sustainability measures key to their values. Established brands too, including household names such as Turkish Airlines.