Nişantaşı is Istanbul’s most obviously European neighborhood, with its streets packed with designer labels, stylish cafés, chic restaurants, trendy bars, elite boutiques, and stunning Art Nouveau apartment buildings. However, it is easy for the first-time visitor to overlook this area because it lacks historical venues and monuments, and other essential tourist sites. Yet for shopping and style enthusiasts, missing Nişantaşı would be a real shame—one look, and it is easy to see why this area is considered the city’s style capital.

In 1853, Sultan Abdül Mecit moved his court from Topkapı to Dolmabahçe Palace, signaling the birth of Nişantaşı as a residential neighborhood. Eventually, the old Ottoman Imperial Guard of the Sultan’s court was replaced by the new Republican Turkish elite, who took to apartment life and maintained the region’s reputation for style and exclusivity—a reputation that remains to this day. Abdi Ipekçi and Maçka Caddesi are still considered amongst Istanbul’s most fashionable and desirable addresses. In fact, the area is home to many beautifully maintained Art Nouveau apartment buildings, as well as flocks of stylish and impeccably groomed ‘ladies who lunch’.
 

Around 30 years ago, the character of the region began to change, as shops and restaurants opened, catering to the wealthy residents who were accustomed to a European lifestyle. The main intersection of Rumeli Caddesi and Vali Konağı Caddesi was the center of Istanbul’s shopping district. This growth had a temporary setback in the late 1980s and 1990s, with the opening of the city’s first shopping malls, causing retail property values in the area to plummet. However, the novelty of shopping malls soon wore off and Istanbul’s elite were enticed back to the neighborhood by new cafés and boutiques that offered what the malls, by definition, could not: exclusivity. Today, the area attracts top designer names, as well as people from all over the city, with its refined and plush atmosphere.

Nearby is the Akaretler area, so named for the Sıraevler, or Row Houses, which line the lower end of the main streets. Commissioned by Sultan Abdülaziz, and designed by Sarkis Balyan, these 90 blocks were originally built to house the employees of the nearby palace. After decades of neglect, restoration of the buildings began in 1998, and today the area is home to a number of cafés and restaurants, as well as the local branch of the upscale W Hotel chain. Although the recent trend has been for art galleries to open in the area, there are also a handful of high-end retailers present, such as local jeweler Sevan Bıçakçı  (Lady Gaga is known to be a fan).

With so much wealth concentrated in a relatively small area, it comes as no surprise that all the great European and American fashion houses have branches in Nişantaşı, mostly clustered on Abdi Ipekçi Caddesi, including Prada, Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, Gucci…the list goes on. Many leading Turkish labels, such as Gönül Paksoy, Beymen, and Vakko, have also set up shop in the area. Nişantaşı is also one of the best neighborhoods for jewelry shopping, with a number of major international jewelry chains, such as Tiffany’s and Cartier, and some of the best known Turkish jewelers, such as Urart and Gilan. Furthermore, the area is home to many small independent jewelers, selling a wide variety of classic and contemporary designs to suit all budgets. Nearby in the neighborhood’s Maçka district, the area’s one and only mall City’s has opened for those who want the convenience of many stores located under one roof.

For those shoppers that have Champagne tastes but beer budgets, Nişantaşı also offers a nice compromise: you can enjoy window shopping at all the top designer boutiques and peruse the latest trends, while making your purchases at high-street shops, such as Zara, Top Shop and Mudo. These stores are found mostly at the intersection between Rumeli Caddesi and Vali Konağı Caddesi. In fact, Nişantaşı is the ideal neighborhood for those who enjoy shopping in such chains but prefer to avoid shopping malls, for many mass market shops are present, but in a boutique-style setting.

With its top notch stores and restaurants, beautiful architecture, not to mention all the beautiful people, whatever you choose to do or taste in Nişantaşı, you can be confident that it will be among the best that Istanbul has to offer.

Clothing

A46 is an apparel shop that carries the designs of young Turkish designer Tuvana Büyükçınar. The clothing here is colorful and playful with plenty of girly embellishments.

Artisan’s designer Bilge Mestçi creates couture pieces in lush fabrics, including silk, velvet, and antique lace, which are all woven exclusively for Artisan. The store, which was established in 1973, also designs custom-made bridal gowns on request.

Known for her avant-garde designs, Arzu Kaprol uses texture and pleating to create highly sculptural pieces. A darling of the Turkish media, Kaprol’s designs include a couture and prêt-àporter line, which are sold in Turkey and abroad.

Beymen Blender is the cutting-edge sister of the power house Beymen department store. This is a concept store where, as the name suggests, you can find a blend of products, including clothing, accessories, and home décor.

Desa is one of the most established names in Turkish leather, specializing in high-quality leather in modern designs. Desa produces shoes, handbags, accessories, and clothing for both men and women, and is also the representative for Samsonite luggage in Turkey.

In Gönül Paksoy’s distinctive boutique, you will find a range of unique designs in hand-dyed fabrics, as well as one of-a-kind handbags, slippers, and jewelry inspired by Ottoman fashions that often incorporate vintage beads and textiles.

HakanYıldırım designs a very glamorous range of women’s wear from his Nişantaşı workshop. A favorite with Istanbul socialites, his garments are produced as a limited series and have been gaining increasing international attention.

Mavi Jeans was one of the first Turkish brands to become an international hit when their denim designs gained global popularity in the 1990s. Mavi (which means blue in Turkish) carries a wide range of jeans and clothing and now has a global store network

Established in 1993, Punto Deri is one of the leaders in the Turkish leather sector, designing a range of high-quality and stylish garments in both leather and fur.

Özlem Süer has been working in the fashion industry for over 20 years, and her experimental designs have many fans in Turkey and beyond. Süer’s designs are feminine and romantic, with her Nişantaşı store housed in a historical villa that reflects this aesthetic.

Established in 2003, Yasemin Akat is an established Turkish brand.The style here is modern bohemian,with lots of draped fabric in textured,neutral tones.

Jewelry
In business for over 20 years, Arkaik designs modern Turkish jewelry that has a very sculptural feel. The line is inspired by ancient civilizations, often drawing inspiration from historical and cultural motifs for their designs.

Diamond by Naci Şenocaklı produces classic jewelry pieces in original designs, including Ottoman inspired collections.

Ela Cindoruk-Nazan Pak is a jewelry studio and store that features the work of both Cindoruk and Pak, as well as pieces from other young designers. Their designs are clean-cut, geometric, and modern, often made with materials like resin and paper in bright colors.

Urart designs a range of jewelry based on pieces in the Istanbul Archeological Museum, drawing inspiration from the Byzantine period, Hittite civilization, and Anatolian cultures. Tableware, caviar services, glassware, and other home décor items are also produced in equally luxurious designs.

Zeynep Erol is a local jeweler who creates unique pieces in her workshop and store. Inspired by shapes in nature, Erol often works with different tones of gold to produce themed collections.

Home Wear
Armaggan’s motto is Unique By Design, and it is easy to see why. Armaggan produces a range of textiles, jewelry, and decorative items that are all in limited numbers. Inspired by Anatolia, these modern designs are made of natural materials.

One of the few antique shops in this part of town, Chalabi carries furniture, paintings, porcelain, and other rare works of art, including Ottoman and Russian jewelry.

Established in 1981, Güneş Öztarakçı carpet and kilim housecarries a particularly feminine collection, specializing in silk rugsfrom Hereke. This shop is also knownfor its quality reproductions of antiquecarpets.

Haremlique produces high-quality home linens and textiles, taking their inspiration from Ottoman designs. Sheets and luxuriously plush towels made of Egyptian cotton, scented candles, soaps, and other chic home accessories are also available.

Raen produces a range of quality beauty products including natural soaps, herbal creams, and massage oils. Personalized beauty products can also be created for your individual skin care needs.

Yastık means cushion in Turkish, and this shop carries a dizzying array designed by internationally-acclaimed fashion designer Rıfat Özbek and Erdal Karaman. You can find everything from Central Asian silk ikats to Anatolian floral prints in a range of exotic materials.

International Brands:
Major international clothing brandsincluding Brioni, Chanel, DKNY,Emporio Armani, Louis Vuitton,Hermes, Loro Piana, Prada, Zilli aswell as luxury jewelers such as Cartier, Chopard, and Tiffany’s all have storesin Nişantaşı. There are also a numberof Turkish boutiques that specialize in

designer brands, such as Polar Moda, which carries a range of international luxury brands, including Narciso Rodriguez, Monique Lhuillier, and Jason Wu.