Our Story
Our Story
Couture Without Compromise. Born in Istanbul. Made for the World.
Before there were scarves, there was silk. Before there was a brand, there was a vision — that fashion could be as moving as a painting, as personal as a signature.
Ilkay Turk grew up in Istanbul, shaped by the city's layered beauty and her mother's eye for art. She studied Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan University — one of Europe's most prestigious — where she first learned to see fabric as canvas.
"Fashion is a living canvas — and art should move you."
It was there she met Rasit Turk. Two artists, one dream.
From Dallas to Florida, through design studios and couture ateliers, Ilkay built a quiet legacy — creating prints for Chico's, Spanx, and Full Beauty Brands before turning her full attention to what she had always known: that luxury lives in the details. The hand-rolled edge. The hand-painted leather. The one-of-a-kind piece that could never be replicated.
Turk & Turk was established in 1998. The luxury silk line launched in 2018. Every scarf, every clutch, every kimono is still made the way it always was — by hand, with intention, for the woman who knows the difference.
A Legacy in Fashion
From Dallas to Florida — over two decades of couture, community, and craft.
1998
Debut Show — Dallas, Texas
Turk & Turk launched their first fashion show, introducing a distinctive design perspective to the Dallas fashion scene.
July 1999
Off-Cuff / On the Stage Fashion Show
One of five designers selected to support the AIDS Foundation, marking their growing presence in charitable fashion initiatives.
September 1999
Turkish Earthquake Relief Fund
Collaborated with designer Deborah Warren to sponsor a charity show; 100% of proceeds went to earthquake relief efforts in Turkey.
November 1999
MEG Magazine Dallas — Full Editorial Feature
A landmark editorial spread in MEG Magazine Dallas celebrated Rasit and Ilkay Turk's boundary-pushing couture — from Istanbul to Dallas — comparing their work to Givenchy and noting their Vogue-worthy circuit-board bodysuit designs.
January 2000
DIFFA's Big Night — Texas Living / The Dallas Morning News
The Absolut Vodka jacket by Rasit and Ilkay Turk raised $12,000 for AIDS charities on the DIFFA runway. Featured in Texas Living / The Dallas Morning News.
April 2000
Calling All Dallas Designers — The Dallas Morning News & DDI
Featured in The Dallas Morning News as Rasit and Ilkay Turk auditioned for the Absolut Initiative Fashion Show at the International Apparel Mart.
September 2000
Cutting Pattern / Cutting Edge — Arlington Museum of Art
Avant-garde creations exhibited at the Arlington Museum of Art, featured in The Dallas Morning News, September 21, 2000.
March 2001
DIFFA & Absolut — Record Donation alongside Kenneth Cole & Donna Karan
An artisanal jacket constructed from over 1,000 fabric pieces raised $15,000 — a record donation alongside Kenneth Cole and Donna Karan.
March 2002
DIFFA/Dallas 2002 & Turk of America Magazine Feature
Listed alongside Alberta Ferretti, Helmut Lang & Hugo Boss at DIFFA/Dallas 2002. Featured in Turk of America magazine.
March 2003
Nuestra Familia Jacket Designers — DIFFA/Dallas
Turk & Turk for Absolut named first among the Nuestra Familia Jacket Designers — all while welcoming their first daughter, Yildizay, into the world.
November 2004
Art of Alliance — Fort Myers, Florida
Presented a still-life couture collection. The family relocated to Florida, dedicating efforts to design, art, and community engagement.
February 2006
PaperCity — DIFFA/Dallas "In the Jeans" — 2006 Legends of Style
Turk & Turk for Absolut (#143) featured in PaperCity's 17th annual DIFFA/Dallas Collection Celebration — listed among the 2006 Legends of Style.
May 2008
A Family Legacy Grows
The birth of second daughter Dunya carried forward the family's legacy of artistic vision and attention to detail.
August 2018
Luxury Silk Collection Launch — Florida
Introduced a limited-edition, artisanal silk collection embodying the brand philosophy: Quality over Quantity, exclusivity, and community-focused artistry.
As Seen In The Press
Dallas, Texas — 1998 – 2006
1998
Turk of America Magazine — Page 1
1998
Turk of America Magazine — Page 2
1999
The MEG Magazine, 1999 — Turk & Turk Couture
1999
Dallas Morning News, 1999
1999
Absolut Initiative — Dallas Morning News, 1999
1999
The Dallas Morning News — 1999
2000
Turk & Turk Fashion Show — Dallas Designers, 2000
2000
Cutting Edge Exhibition — Arlington Museum — The Dallas Morning News, 2000
2000
Pennies Vest by Turk & Turk — Arlington Museum — The Dallas Morning News, 2000
2000
Absolut Vodka Jacket — DIFFA 2000
2000
Dallas Designer Initiatives — Society Magazine, 2000
2001
Dallas Society Magazine, 2001
2001
Ilkay & Rasit Turk — DIFFA 2001 — Absolut Vodka Jacket
2001
DIFFA 2001 — Turk & Turk Couture
2002
Dallas Morning News — 2002
2002
Dallas Morning News — DIFFA 2002
2002
PaperCity — DIFFA/Dallas 2002
2003
Dallas Morning News — DIFFA 2003
2006
PaperCity — DIFFA/Dallas 2006 — Legends of Style
Dallas Morning News · MEG Magazine · Texas Living · PaperCity · Turk of America · Society Magazine
Philanthropy & Community
"We are stronger in numbers."
Turk & Turk has long believed that fashion is a force for good. From the earliest days in Dallas to their home in Naples, Florida, Rasit and Ilkay have dedicated their platform to causes that uplift communities, protect the vulnerable, and celebrate the arts.
TURK & TURK — EST. 1998, DALLAS, TEXAS
