Istanbul is one of the most extraordinary cities in the world — the only city that spans two continents, where the Blue Mosque faces the Hagia Sophia across Sultanahmet Square, where the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market operate alongside luxury hotels of the Çırağan Palace and the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, and where the Bosphorus strait connects the Black Sea to the Marmara. The wardrobe responds to Turkey's Islamic cultural context, the Istanbul summer heat, and the city's specific combination of ancient heritage and contemporary luxury.

The cultural dress context. Istanbul's mosques — the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Camii), the Süleymaniye, the Rüstem Pasha — require covered shoulders and legs and the removal of shoes at the entrance. A PP linen shirt fully buttoned with linen trousers is appropriate for the mosque visits and the more conservative cultural contexts of the city. Women require additional head covering for mosque entry — a scarf, which Istanbul's mosques typically provide at the entrance.

For Sultanahmet and the historic peninsula. The Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar — the most concentrated historic heritage in the city. A PP linen shirt in a warm natural or earth tone with linen trousers and leather shoes. The Byzantine and Ottoman architecture rewards natural fabric in natural colourways.

For the Bosphorus and the waterfront. The boat trip on the Bosphorus — the classic Istanbul experience. A PP linen shirt in white or a warm natural with natural swim shorts and leather deck shoes for the boat; the same combination or linen trousers for the waterfront fish restaurants of Karaköy and Beşiktaş.

For Beyoğlu and the contemporary city. The galleries, restaurants, and rooftop bars of Beyoğlu, Karaköy, and Nişantaşı — Istanbul's contemporary luxury district. A navy PP linen shirt with linen trousers and leather shoes for the evening.

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