In an effort to share the magic and wonder of the city it had been founded in with the masses, Istanbul-based jean brand Mavi launched a special Istanbul t-shirt collection in 2004, becoming the first clothing brand to design a t-shirt exclusively for the city.
The seemingly small and simple idea filled an important void in Istanbul’s fashion world. By launching the campaign years before Istanbul would be named the “2010 European Capital of Culture” Mavi not only contributed to the city’s promotional marketing but became the first clothing brand to support the city in its bid for the European Capital of Culture title. Over time, Mavi’s Istanbul t-shirts have become a company, and city, trademark.
The success of the Istanbul t-shirt series is evident in its ever-growing legion of fans—people who eagerly await the latest design, ‘collectors’ who creatively incorporate each new design into their wardrobe, people who saw the t-shirts as the best gift for loved ones, tourists who saw the designs as the perfect souvenir to take back home. Artists from many different disciplines have jumped at the chance to illustrate what they love about Istanbul through graphics and drawings which get turned into designs for the collection.
Through their designs these artists have reflected what it is like to live in Istanbul, what it means to make Istanbul a part of yourself; ultimately what it is like to be an Istanbulite. Over the years designs have included a silhouette of the iconic Istanbul skyline as well as classic symbols of the city such as “simit for seagulls,” “horse mackerel,” “the trolley car,” “the Maiden’s Tower” and “Galata Tower.”
With the continued addition of new designs the Mavi Istanbul t-shirt collection grew into a giant collection featuring 98 different designs by 44 different artists, all worn by millions of people in Istanbul, in Turkey and abroad.
The Turkish jeans wear company Mavi has signed with Brazillian supermodel Adriana Lima. Watch Adriana Lima latest commercial for Mavi`s 2012 spring-summer collection.
Mavi Adriana Lima “çok mu çok renkliyiz?” Reklam Filmi from mavi.