Sourcing in Turkey

Just a few of the hundreds of Kilim carpets that I looked at and selected. These Kilims will be used this fall and winter for our Kilim shoes, Kilim bags, and other exciting projects that are in the works! On my feet are our signature Sumak Kilim Smoking Shoes, which I wore every day on my trip. 

Inside the courtyard of the Blue Mosque, in Sultanhamet, Istanbul. The beautiful periwinkle color of the domes inspired me and helped me choose textiles that would become our Kilim shoes!

A corn seller.  Grilled and boiled corn is a popular summertime snack for locals and tourists.

Traditional Baklava, served with Kaymak. Kaymak is a delicious Buffalo Milk cream.
It is eaten with bread and honey, or as a creamy complement to Baklava!

This Kilim, slightly worn, is one typical to the carpets we use to create our Kilim shoes.
That burnt orange color is to die for!

Piles and piles of Ikat silk textiles--so impossible to choose from for our Spring/Summer collection!

My favorite part of traveling to Turkey (besides sourcing beautiful textiles for our Kilim shoes) is the food! Mezes and mixed kabob are some of my staples while in Istanbul, 
perfect to enjoy after a long day of textile-hunting all over the city!

So many Kilim shoes on the drying rack--where they go to set shape after being
hand-crafted by our expert cobblers. These particular Kilim shoes are our Smoking Shoes.

Kilim on Kilim-- what could be better? I'm wearing our Kilim Smoking Shoes in this photo, which took me all over the city that day!

Onto the workshop!  During this trip, our cobblers were very busy creating our fall collection of Kilim Smoking Shoes! You can see them here in various stages of the Kilim shoe-making process. 

Kilim shoe uppers that will turn into our Sumak Kilim shoes! 

This cobbler is an expert at sewing trim onto the Kilim shoes.  Here he is, sewing on our signature brown trim to the carpet uppers.