MILAN — Despite global volatility and a dampened macroeconomy, the ninth edition of the Istanbul Fashion Connection, otherwise known as IFCO, a biannual fashion fair that’s been taking place since 2022 in the Turkish city, wrapped up on Feb. 7 on a positive note.
Held over four days inside six halls of the Istanbul Expo Center, a 40-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of the Egyptian Bazaar and The Grand Bazaar, the fashion trade show offered the stage for about 450 Turkish brands to unveil their collections spanning womenswear, menswear, kidswear, eveningwear, lingerie, denim, as well as shoes, accessories and homeware.
The trade show attracted 29,746 visitors, down 12 percent compared to the same edition a year earlier, hailing from 134 countries, with international attendees representing 38.2 percent of the total.
“IFCO demonstrates that Turkey’s apparel industry is ready for the future: resilient, design-driven and strategically positioned to deliver sustainable value to global markets, even in challenging times,” said Mustafa Gültepe, president of the Turkey Exporters Assembly, or TIM, and chairman of the Istanbul Apparel Exporter Association, or IHKIB, the fair’s organizer.
To be sure the business landscape has been challenging in 2025 for Turkey’s apparel and textile industries with exports declining 4.4 percent year-on-year to $26.2 billion. Apparel’s decrease was even sharper, dropping 6.3 percent to $16.8 billion, although the sector maintained its position as the country’s fourth largest exporting industry. The main importer of Turkish apparel was Europe last year, absorbing about 60.6 percent of exported goods.
Overall, Turkish exports across industries logged a 4.5 percent increase to $273.4 billion.
“The global apparel industry is undergoing a period of transformation shaped by evolving market dynamics and changing demand patterns. Within this landscape, the Turkish apparel industry stands out with its strong design capabilities and solid production infrastructure. Well positioned to respond to these dynamics, the industry continues to move forward with confidence and adaptability,” said Mustafa Paşahan, president of IFCO and vice chairman of IHKIB.
“IFCO reflects this strength by bringing together creativity, production expertise and international business, demonstrating that the Turkish apparel industry is not only adapting to current conditions, but actively shaping its future,” he added.
Inside the ninth edition of the IFCO fashion trade show in Istanbul.
Serkan Senturk/Courtesy of IFCO
The trade show was organized around thematic areas, including The Core Istanbul hosting a selection of 22 Turkish designer brands, including Özlem Süer, Mehtap Elaidi, Emre Erdemoğlu and Ceren Ocak, among others. The area was defined by an AI-generated set up designed to mimic ice and snow-covered landscapes. The neighboring Brands Area hosted fashion labels including İpekyol, Herr Widma, Jakamen and Jimmy Key, to name a few.
The Fashionist section focused on occasionwear, from evening gowns to bridal creations by labels including Carmen, Serabella, Maxra Govana, Lacrima and Doridorca, while the IFCO Kids area unveiled childrenswear collections.
The February edition of the trade show also marked the integration of the Linexpo showcase dedicated to lingerie, hosiery, swimwear, loungewear and accessories.
The comprehensive offering managed to boost the fair’s international appeal, IFCO said singling out among its visitors the representatives of such companies as Perry Ellis Europe, Paul Smith, Maison Labiche and the U.S.-based MGM Hosiery LLC.
According to the fair organizers, almost 40 percent of visitors came from the Middle East region, followed by European, Asian, and North African buyers, representing 27.4 percent, 18.9 percent and 11.1 percent of the total, respectively. Visitors from North America, the rest of Africa, South America and Oceania amounted to 3.2 percent.
The fair’s agenda was complemented by keynotes and panel discussions unpacking the global fashion trends, as well as fashion shows from brands including Alissa, Carmen, De White’s, Maxra Govanna and Puane.
The next edition of IFCO is scheduled for Aug. 19 to 21.
The Alissa fashion show at the ninth edition of the IFCO fashion trade show in Istanbul.
Serkan Senturk/Courtesy of IFCO