News about Fashion, Politics and Culture from The Edge of Europe and Middle East

All the Trappings of Christmas Sans Santa…

Did you know that Santa Claus was from Turkey? I recently found out that Saint Nicholas was a 4th century saint who lived in Myra, which is in the South Western coast of modern Turkey. Saint Nicholas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus.

As the frosty month of December draws near, New Year’s decorations and campaigns have sprouted all over in Istanbul. Everybody is shopping for gifts for loved ones, all the credit card companies and wireless networks are offering various promotions to their customers. Consumption is up, stores are in hyper drive and this picture in its entirety reminds one of Christmas in the US. With perhaps one tiny difference, Turkey is 99.9% Muslim, therefore, Christmas is traditionally not celebrated. Even though we claim Santa as one of our own and turn his hometown into a tourist attraction, we stay away from the imagery in our ad campaigns.

As a child growing up in Turkey, we celebrated New Year’s Eve but never exchanged gifts since gift giving was not associated with the beginning of a new year. However, in the last twenty years Turkey has become a vibrant society with an insatiable appetite for consumerism. It is, therefore, be fitting that the commercial aspects of this holiday has established a foothold in an all-Muslim society. The consumer retail industry is in full gear and the public for their part takes the utmost advantage of the amazing bargains. The absence of Santa not withstanding, New Year’s decorations and lights add a festive mood to the city.

My neighbor the Artsy Fashion Designer…

Gunseli Turkay Runway Show

A couple of months ago, a new neighbor moved into the flat below my office. It didn’t come as a surprise that my neighbor, Gunseli Turkay is a fashion designer, since my office is situated in a trendy spot, where the neighborhood is home to many hip local designer shops. But Gunseli sets herself apart from other designers in that she studied fashion in Italy after receiving her degree in economics. Her fashion line is influenced by contemporary artists whose works come alive in her designs. When I saw her clothes, I was struck by the extraordinary prints and the sheer luxury of the fabrics, and yet her fashion line is practical.

She has become one of my favorite young designers in Turkey and I plan to use some of her clothes in my upcoming romantic comedy.

On the political side of things: The Turkish news that upset me the most in November…

Living and working in trendy neighborhoods, having cool neighbors like Gunseli, walking by street vendors selling roasted chestnuts and the holiday atmosphere all around has helped enable me to settle into my new life. However, certain major social issues in Turkey still get under my skin. Back when I was making my documentary, VOICES UNVEILED about Turkish women, I was mortified by the discovery of rampant violence against women in Turkey. Gender inequality, which is a major contributor to the issue of violence against women, is on the priority list of many a civil organization. The Turkish Government is playing a part in remedying this situation through legislations and encouraging women’s pursuit of education. That having been said, no true change can come about without revamping parts of the existing constitution whose language allows for the victimization of women. In November, a horrible decision rendered through the courts has brought a taboo subject into light. The story is of a young Turkish girl of 13 who was forced into having sex with 26 men. The perpetrators were so called respected figures in her community. She was gang raped to the point of physical devastation. The girl had to go through numerous operations to regain a semblance of her former physical self, as to her psyche, that is another question. Because of the loopholes in the law, the courts ruled that the girl had willing sex with 26 men and let the perpetrators walk free.

The indignation generated by this case will hopefully result in certain constitutional changes that will aid women’s rights. Living with this dichotomy keeps me alert and vigilant. In the meantime, my designer neighbor and I are thinking of creating a salon, similar to those during the turn of the century in Paris. We plan to gather artists, filmmakers, designer, social activists and expats for stimulating conversation to exchange ideas. Stay tuned…

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Binnur Karaevli is an award-winning director and producer with an expansive background in film and theatre. She holds a BFA from Carnegie-Mellon University and an MFA from the University of Southern California’s Graduate Film School and is a graduate of Robert College High School in Istanbul, Turkey. Karaevli’s films have received numerous awards. Her recent documentary feature, “Voices Unveiled: Turkish Women Who Dare“, has won an Audience Award at the SEE Los Angeles Film festival and a Special Mention at the Rome Independent Film Festival in 2010.