Ilkay Turk

The House of Turk & Turk — Founder, Principal, Chief Executive Officer & Designer

Ilkay Turk, founder of The House of Turk & Turk, has built an international couture business while supporting local and global initiatives.

Photo: Brian Tietz

When she arrived in the United States from Turkey in 1995, Ilkay Turk did not speak English. Thirty years later, she is an artist, fashion designer and founder and CEO of Turk & Turk, a luxury couture and accessories brand. Her journey from immigrant to entrepreneur has been guided by early advice.

“Do not shrink your vision to fit your circumstances. When I immigrated, many things felt uncertain. That advice taught me to think globally even when starting small.”

Together with her husband, Rasit, Turk relocated her company from Dallas to Southwest Florida in 2018. Since then, she has supported more than 20 nonprofit organizations and women-focused initiatives. She also founded Turk & Turk Fashion Institute, a nonprofit that mentors young designers, provides scholarships and helps turn talent into opportunity.

“My father was my role model as an entrepreneur. My mother showed me the strength of a woman who stands tall, works with discipline and supports others along the way. From childhood, she would tell me, ‘You are always giving.’ Giving back was not something we discussed; it was something we lived.”

Though now an internationally recognized designer who has worked with major apparel companies and global brands, Turk remains grounded in the values that shaped her vision.

“This journey belongs to my family, my friends who believe in us, our artisans around the world and the Southwest Florida community. At the heart of it all, I am simply a designer who believes that when art, culture and purpose come together, businesses don’t just grow, they uplift. And when you rise, you lift others with you.”