Damat/Tween at Istanbul Fashion Week: “Limited Edition”

ORKA group, the dynamic fashion house of one of the world’s highly sought after brands, has just put on another spectacular fashion show of the Damat Tween brands hosted at Santral İstanbul, for the Istanbul Fashion Week 2011.

Thinking about a “limited” collection to underline the essential pieces for celebrations, special parties, and gatherings, Damat/Tween created a timeless and extraordinary collection that will eternize the unforgettable memories of our lives.

Designed for young and dynamic men that are experiencing their first excitements in life, ties made of unusual materials such as leather or knits and accessories combined with metal details replace conservative neckties.

As essentials of a gentleman’s wardrobe, shoes come forward as the distinctive pieces of the collection. Made of suede, leather and velvet reflecting the color palette of the whole collection, these shoes are perfected with bindings and special embroidery. A variety of velvet bowties, ties and vests that appeal to a wide variety of personal style preferences will be the favorite pieces of the season.

The combination of midnight colors such as saxe, ruby and dark green with surprising materials adds on to the distinctive characteristics of Damat Tween’s “Limited Edition” collection.

See the entire runway collection here.
Photos & text Copyright Orka Group.

Damat/Tween at Istanbul Fashion Week

At the most recent editionn of Istanbul Fashion Week, Turkish label Damat/Tween presented a 2011 spring/summer collection with the them of Prom Boys & Girls.

Prom is short for promenade. At the end of the students’ senior year in the United States in Canada, a formal black tie dance called “the Prom” is held.

Some schools differentiate between a Senior Prom and Junior Prom, while many other countries have equivalents to the US and Canadian proms.

Nevertheless, guys normally rent a tuxedo, buy their date a corsage, and take a formal picture of the couple.

Oftentimes, a Prom Queen is chosen, as well as a Prom King and Prom Court—all very regal sounding!

Historians trace the origins of proms to the late 1800’s. See the collection here.

Photos Copyright Orka Group.

The Tween 2010 Spring Collection: “Modern Masculinity”

For spring 2010, Tween has geared up an energized collection of multicultural blending based on the pop icons and social movements of the 60’s and 70’s, which have impacted youth cultures around the world for generations.

The collection entitled Modern Masculinity narrates an emotion-felt story of generation gaps, defiance to peers, and disobedience to parents—all ending in reconciliation through an exchange of a garment!

Hence, Modern Masculinity embodies the spirit of teenage rebellion as portrayed in the 1955 film Rebel without a Cause, in which the introspective actor, James Dean, was star. Confident in his poses, often leaning against an object, the renegade yet slightly preppy Dean revisits us in a slim silhouette of classic, timeless coolness.

The attitude of Modern Masculinity is set in the “Swinging Sixties” with all the geometric shapes of the London mod look. Eccentric details like playful borders, unique collars, and Dandyish bowties charge the collection with a jolt of energy.

A palette of neutral and bright colors is balanced to create seasonal basics with colorful directional core items. Tones of sand, stone, and sky have been chosen to match a wide variety of skin complexions. Vibrant colors like bright yellow add a high voltage to the collection!

The key items of Modern Masculinity consist of jackets and shirts, which are colored, patterned, and informal. Also present this season is a selection of fine leathers and dyed knits, as well as piece-dyed denims.

Tween—challenging the staid rules of modern masculinity within the young generation’s new found affluence!



Read all the articles by Francesco in 2010 Spring Uomo Moda:
Uomo Moda ‘10 Spring Edition—the All-Star Issue
Be a Star in Spring 2010: Editorial, Uomo Moda
PUMA: Over 60 Years of Reaching for the Stars
Dolce & Gabbana: 2 Stars in Italian Luxury
Dolce & Gabbana 2010 Spring Collection: “Extreme Beauty”
United Colors of Benetton: A Family of Stars
Benetton's Star Desginer: Vincenzo ScognamiglioUnited Colors of Benetton: 2010 Spring/Summer Collection
Tween: a Rising Star

Photo & slideshow Copyright Orka Group.

Tween: a Rising Star

• Slick
• Proud
• Spirited
• Mysterious
• Multicultured
• Etno Masculine
• Sophisticated
• Progressive
• Consistent
• Dynamic
• Noble

The Company
ORKA Tekstil was established in 1986 by Mr. Süleyman Orakçıoğlu, who, together with his brother Mr. Halidun Orakçıoğlu, direct 78 concept stores in 40 countries with a total of 264 sales points. The company has since been renamed the Orka Group, which has branched into three unique brands, including the deluxe formalwear of Damat, the trendy label Tween, and the casual line ADV.

The three labels have grown so popular that the late king of pop, Michael Jackson, purchased a tuxedo from the Damat-Tween store at the Sabco Center in Oman back in 2005. The 60’s music icon Ringo Starr has joined the world celebrities who prefer Tween, as well as Brad Pitt and Fatboy Slim. Several football legends of the Chelsea team have followed suit.

Since the company’s inception, Mr. Süleyman Orakçıoğlu has demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurship, which has earned him numerous awards over the years. In turn, the ORKA Group has also been decorated with prestigious titles and acclaim, such as most successful company and brand.

In addition to speaking at international panels, Mr. Süleyman Orakçıoğlu has founded assorted associations and chaired national boards like that of the Turkish Textile and Apparel Exporters Association.

The Label
Orka’s trendy label, Tween, was founded in 1995 as an accessible designer brand that could bridge the gap between the luxury sector and mainstream markets, thus satisfying the need of a major niche in menswear consumerism. So, just who is the perfect Tween fit?

The Tween kind of guy tends to be more progressive than most. He is sophisticated, multicultural, and dynamic! Spanning the ages of 25-50, the Tween male is definitely high class: a man of modernity who likes to mix it up a little by combining multiple colors with metropolitan styles.

Until the 1990’s, men dressed themselves under the roof of their preferred labels, assuming the look and feel of a certain name brand. Contrariwise, the contemporary Tween man bases his look and individual style on a completely new set of criteria, such as his favorite music or a personal attitude.

For this reason, Tween’s mission has been to provide the essential basics to all men who shop outside the group. Through a marriage of flattering functionality and individual style, the collections aim at supporting each man’s personal taste with unpretentious details and perfect fits.

Photos Copyright ORKA Tekstil.Tween is the offspring of Orka’s creative director, Ms. Güneş Güner Işik, who has been working with the company since 1995. Educated at the Marangoni Institute and the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan where she acquired a flair for street fashion and menswear, Ms. Işik draws her multicultural bent from the fashion hubs of New York and London.

In each design, Ms. Işik adheres to the principles of authenticity and simplicity as she balances creativity with reality. Blending eastern and western karmas into her creations, Ms. Işik exalts modern masculinity, which is symbolized by the ram’s antler of the Tween monogram.

Read all the articles by Francesco in 2010 Spring Uomo Moda:
Uomo Moda ‘10 Spring Edition—the All-Star Issue
Be a Star in Spring 2010: Editorial, Uomo Moda
PUMA: Over 60 Years of Reaching for the Stars
Dolce & Gabbana: 2 Stars in Italian Luxury
Dolce & Gabbana 2010 Spring Collection: “Extreme Beauty”
United Colors of Benetton: A Family of Stars
Benetton's Star Desginer: Vincenzo ScognamiglioUnited Colors of Benetton: 2010 Spring/Summer Collection

Photos Copyright ORKA Group.

Damat, Tween, ADV—3 lines in 1 by the Orka Group

When the two Turkish brothers, Süleyman and Halidun Orakçığlu, founded Orka Textile in 1986, they launched a formal menswear label called Damat, a “total look” of classic ready-to-wear fashion.

Currently with 76 concept stores in 36 countries, the company, which has been renamed to the Orka Group, has added more lines to their repertoire, including the trendy label Tween and the casual wear line ADV.

The company has grown so popular that, in 2005, Michael Jackson purchased a tuxedo from the Damat-Tween store at the Sabco Center in Oman. Several football legends of the Chelsea team have followed suit in subsequent years.

The 2009 s/s Damat collection was inspired by the 60’s and 70’s of the coastal towns in Southern Europe with all their silks, linens, and energetic colors. Damat has even incorporated bio-tech fabrics into this collection.



The ADV 2009 s/s collection draws its inspiration from the spirited garments of regatta competitions, offering lots of tees with embroideries, as well as fused emblems and prints on natural organic and bamboo fabrics—a definite choice for the environmentally minded man.



If you plan on visiting the Magic Show in Las Vegas this August, then you are in luck, because Tween will be in attendance. If you cannot make it to the trade show, well, here is a sneak peak at the 2009 a/w collection, which has received its inpiration from the provocative masculinity of James Dean.



The Orka Group has recently added one more label to their portfolio of men’s collections, but I’m not going to tell you just yet. You’ll have to wait until the end of the month: I have a huge surprise in store for you—promise!

Photo Copyright Orka Group
Slideshows Copryright Orka Group.