The Turkish Leather Foundation (TURDEV) is aiming to attract 300 firms from 66 countries to the upcoming ninth annual Istanbul Leather Fair (IDF), said TURDEV Board Chairwoman Ruken Mizrakli, speaking to journalists in Istanbul.
The fair -- which will take place from Nov. 18-20 -- is expected to bring in thousands of attendees. TURDEV has worked hard and used a serious budget for the purpose of introducing the Turkish leather sector to the world, said Mizrakli, who emphasized that if Switzerland is known for its chocolate and watches, Turkey should be known for its leather, Today’s Zaman reported.
To move closer towards this goal, the sector has begun to target new markets, and sector representatives have attended 14 international fairs for promotional purposes.
Taking cues from Italy, the Turkish leather sector has begun to implement innovative techniques to expand the use of leather beyond its classic purposes and make it a more commonly used product, Mizrakli said, and added that business in Russia and Ukraine, which are among the sector’s target markets, has been negatively impacted by the crises in those countries.
“In the quest for new markets, we want to increase our market share in the Far East, particularly China and Japan. We are working on developing brand perception strategies intended for these new target markets. We want to develop more luxury products to sell, and we believe that this will increase our share of the global market,” she said.
Saying that different countries have different styles and expectations, Mizrakli said the sector will need to develop products that meet the needs of each target market. “Russians like more assertive products, things with fur, while in China and Japan, darker and plainer colors are preferred,” she said, adding that around 50 Turkish leather firms can now be found in Chinese retail stores. Meanwhile, nearly 50 Chinese firms are expected to attend the upcoming fair.
Among the world-famous firms expected to be present at the ninth annual IDF are Louis Vutton, Prada, Celine, Balenciaga, Massimo Dutti, Loewe and Zara. There will also be fashion shows featuring work by Turkish fashion designers throughout the fair, in addition to a variety of art exhibits involving leather.
