The Ankara International Ready-to-Wear and Fashion Fair, organized by the Ankara Apparel Manufacturers Association (AGSD), opened its doors for the third time at Congresium. The fair aims to promote local brands and boost exports, while also featuring runway shows presenting the work of fashion design students.
The event, which runs until Saturday, offers more than just fashion shows. Visitors can also attend talks, workshops, and various side events. Designs created by students from the fashion departments of Ankara University, Atılım University, Hacı Bayram Veli University, and Ankara University’s Beypazarı Vocational School are also on display.
“OUR GOAL IS TO BOOST ANKARA’S EXPORTS”
AGSD President Hayati Akbaba underlined that Ankara holds strong potential in the textile sector but lacks adequate promotion. “Today, six of Türkiye’s top ten national womenswear brands have roots in Ankara. Yet we remain too inward-looking. We lag behind in advertising and promotion. Despite some issues in the domestic market, we have the dynamism to manage it. What we truly need is to expand our export capacity,” he said.
Akbaba noted strong interest in the fair from the Gulf countries, Turkic republics, Africa, Europe, and the Balkans. He added that they aim to make the event a permanent tradition. Stressing that increasing the number and destinations of direct flights from Ankara would significantly support exports, Akbaba said they expect more routes to open soon.
Among the visitors was Ümit Özdağ, chairman of the Victory Party, accompanied by his delegation. They toured the stands and received information from participating companies.
