Those who have visited Istanbul, or lived here, often form a special bond to the city, its culture, and its people. If you can’t be in Istanbul but are craving a slice of it, you can find various Turkish products abroad. Several established Turkish brands have opened up shops all around the world, allowing Turkish expats, Istanbul lovers, and those generally interested in Turkish culture to feel closer to Istanbul.

One such brand is Ta-ze, a wellknown company making gourmet olive oils, as well as olive oil soaps and personal care products. They have stores in Chicago, Toronto, and Singapore.

Istanbul fashion is establishing itself and now you can buy clothing and accessories to get that Istanbul style even if you’re not in Turkey. Mavi Jeans is a Turkish denim brand that has made a worldwide name with its casual yet high-quality clothing line, with stores in Berlin, Frankfurt, Vancouver, and New York. Then there’s the silky smooth, high-quality, and elegant ready-to-wear collections of women’s clothing brand Yargıcı, which has a branch in Paris for those wanting to add a little international flair to their Parisian look. And for putting those special little touches to your outfit, you can’t go past Gilan, one of Turkey’s best-known jewelry brands. Popular with Hollywood celebrities, Gilan aims to fuse the East and the West, and the Modern and the Ancient with their dramatic, boldly-colored designs, which are available in Paris Ritz Hotel, the Moda Mall in Bahrain, and many other global locations. To celebrate their 11th anniversary, they will begin selling their pieces in New York’s Goodman in September.

If you are missing Istanbul’s unforgettable food and drink scene, Kahve Dünyası is one of the new generation coffee brands, offering delicious coffee and chocolate products, with a store in London. Everyone knows baklava, a traditional Turkish dessert made with layers of filo pastry, chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup, but did you know that you can get some of the best baklava from the very established Güllüoğlu brand in Brooklyn, New York? While there, you may as well indulge in some other Turkish delicacies, like lokum (Turkish delight) and börek (filo pastry) varieties. Speaking of Turkish delight, one of Istanbul’s best lokum brands is Lokum Istanbul, with a store in Knightsbridge, London. This boutique shop sells not only lokum but also akide şekeri (hard candy), scented candles, and more, which all come in elegant boxes beautifully-decorated with toile, pompoms, and grosgrain ribbons.

For a touch of Istanbul in the home, visit Yastık by Rıfat Özbek, whose first international branch was opened in Mayfair, London in 2011. After having established a strong presence in the Turkish market, internationally acclaimed designer Rıfat Özbek brings his impressive array of cushions that he designed in partnership with Erdal Karaman to the all-white store, which perfectly highlights the colorful products on display. Yastık’s cushions are produced in a range of luxurious fabrics, both old and new, with an emphasis on Central Asian ikat silks, Anatolian floral prints, and printed velvet.