“IF Wedding Fashion – İzmir Wedding Dress, Suit and Evening Gowns Fair”, which is shown as one of the biggest wedding dress fairs in Europe, opened its doors for the 15th time. Organized by the Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association (EGSD) and İZFAŞ, hosted by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, the event welcomes its guests in 2 halls in Fair İzmir.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer reminded that the fair was suspended last year due to the epidemic. Stating that the event is getting bigger every year, Soyer said, “We are very happy for this. We are working to make İzmir one of the points of attraction. We develop all these with the principle of cyclicality based on harmony with nature, our past and change itself. The main result of this ecosystem we have created is our country and the world’s. It is to bring together its different points in Izmir.” he said.
In 2021, the export figures of the sector broke a record.
Turkish Exporters Assembly President İsmail Gülle emphasized that the fair was followed with interest by all sector stakeholders. Explaining that the industry recovered quickly with the normalization experienced after the epidemic, Gülle continued as follows: “We will not forget 2021 as a year with special developments both for the world and for us. We will not forget 2020. We will remember 2020 with what they took from us, and 2021 with what it brought to us. 2021 was a year with very special moments, especially in terms of exports, and it still continues. For the first time, our monthly exports exceeded 20 billion dollars this year. I hope we will exceed 20 billion dollars this month and break a record.”
Hüseyin Öztürk, Chairman of the Turkish Fashion and Wear Federation (MHGF), said that the wedding dress industry is the product group that increases the added value in ready-made clothing. Expressing that the fair is of great importance for their sector, Öztürk thanked the participants and those who contributed to the fair.
İzmir carries out 70 percent of the wedding dress production in Turkey.
Mahmut Özgener, Chairman of the Izmir Chamber of Commerce, said that about 30 fairs are held in the city every year. Stating that IF Wedding Fashion-İzmir Wedding Dress, Suit and Evening Gowns Fair has a special place among these fairs, Özgener said that the fair is also known in the international arena. Mentioning that one of the 6 products that come out of customs in İzmir is textile, Özgener said, “Wedding dresses have an important place among textile products. As İzmir, we make about 70% of Turkey’s wedding dress production. We also export to more than 40 countries.” he said.
Nurdan Ahsen Fıçıcı won the Wedding Dress Design Competition.
After the opening speeches, the final fashion show of the Wedding Dress Design Competition, which was organized for the 12th time this year, was held as part of the fair. Nurdan Ahsen Fıçıcı won the first place in the fashion show where the designs of the last 15 young designers were exhibited. More than 2,000 visitors from over 100 countries were registered for the fair, which was held on an area of 20 thousand square meters with the participation of 160 companies. There will be buyers from 18 countries in the purchasing delegation program organized with the support of the Ministry of Commerce and the Izmir Chamber of Commerce. Finally, the Fair will end on November 19.
