Earlier this month, Beymen—the Bergdorf Goodman of Turkey—celebrated its 50th anniversary with the opening of the “Golden Opulence” exhibition in Istanbul Tophane-i Amire Culture & Arts Center. The exhibit, which runs through December 15, features 50 wearable masterpieces from world-renowned designers and brands, including Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli, Victoria Beckham, Christian Louboutin, Dries Van Noten, Tory Burch, and Tom Ford, among many others. All the looks were created for the luxury department store’s exhibition and are on loan from the brands.
“Beymen was honored to collaborate with the most distinguished international brands to mark this very special moment in Turkey’s history,” Beymen Group CEO Elif Capci told Bazaar in an exclusive. “The stunning displays of creativity honor Turkey’s role in the culture of luxury for the last 500 years. After the opening celebration and worldwide interest expressed in ‘Golden Opulence,’ we are extending the exhibition through December 15 and are planning for it to travel abroad in 2024.”
Below, a look inside “Golden Opulence.”
Entering the arts center, visitors are greeted by a dazzling golden minidress from Turkish designer-sister duo Dice Kayek, seemingly floating in mid-air inside a glass chamber, in front of a striking digital artwork by local artist Hakan Yilmaz. The dress appears to have been crafted from a sculpted cage crinoline made from silky rose-gold ribbon and layered over sheer fabric embellished with white crystals.
Continuing on into the exhibit, the Valentino designs on display—a gown, a Met Gala–worthy cape, and a fabulous take on the iconic Locò handbag—are rendered in the house’s now iconic pink. Both the dress and bag are embellished with a single tulip design as well, the official flower of Turkey.
Also, Victoria Beckham has a star piece on view: a sleek, silky cream-colored trench coat embellished with dainty single feathers and white crystals throughout. It’s layered over a sand-colored top-and-pants co-ord with a subtle leaf print. Beckham’s use of feathers is an ode to the fashion of the early Ottoman Empire, when they began to be used as headdress ornaments for women on important occasions.
And Stella McCartney stuck to her sophisticated silhouettes and monochrome ensembles for her look featured in “Golden Opulence”—a long-sleeved, backless gown in vibrant red. She added some Turkish extravagance with large white crystals scattered evenly throughout.
Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing channeled his sculpted, intricately embellished designs, regularly seen on star-studded red carpets around the world, to craft two impossibly ornate looks for Beymen: a suit, and a minidress with a matching hat, shoes, and earrings. The pieces come in a deep teal base and are adorned with an elaborate purple, red, and blue design, plus layers of white Swarovski crystals. The crystals in the dress create a corsetlike silhouette, while others make an opulent chandelier out of the wide-brim hat.
Apart from the exhibition, Beymen’s celebration of fashion will culminate in a documentary by award-winning British director Khadifa Wong highlighting Turkey’s influence in the fashion industry, as well as in a stunning coffee table book showcasing the custom 50th anniversary designs.
Rosa Sanchez is the senior news editor at Harper’s Bazaar, working on news as it relates to entertainment, fashion, and culture. Previously, she was a news editor at ABC News and, prior to that, a managing editor of celebrity news at American Media. She has also written features for Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter, among other outlets.