From time to time under the Local News section we will bring you different features about life in Kalkan.  Here is the first article in a short series we intend to do called Hand Made in Kalkan.  We will keep forthcoming articles as a surprise, but we begin with clothes that are made in Kalkan.

In this article we take a look at the process of turning cloth into couture from the point of view of one of Kalkan's longest established outfitters, Tufanlar.

Many of the items that you will see in the Thursday market and in the shops are not made locally, however Kalkan does have a small number of tailors who produce some excellent outfits. KTLN asked one of these businesses, Tufanlar, to tell us about the process.

A family business
Halil Tufan is a familiar sight in Kalkan, with his trademark bandana and his bushy grey beard.  He has been in tailoring for 36 years and set up his workshop in Kalkan back in 1994.  He has seen quite a few changes in fashion over the years, but he tells us that the basics of tailoring remain the same. 

Whilst Halil is in charge of the workshop, his daughter Asena is the retail merchandising executive (as they would say in Dorothy Perkins).  She is the smiling face that greets you at the shop on Hasan Altan Caddesi (opposite Özalp restaurant).  The family business also employs two other local Turkish people in the workshop.  Asena's mum also helps out from time to time.

How the story begins
The story begins at the end of each season.  Over the season Halil and Asena will assess which lines were popular and they will keep an eye out for changes in fashion.  They don't chase fashion around, simply reproducing new styles for the sake of it, but they need to be aware of the market.  In fact, they told KTLN that many of their best selling lines are what they would describe as classics - ever popular designs.  They are also aware of the specific needs of people who come to Kalkan, taking into account things like the quality expected, the age range of their customers and whether the item is for holiday wear or something special back in the UK.

Once they have decided on their range for the coming year, they will get in touch with suppliers and find cloth of the right quality, in the colours and designs they need.  They tend to use linen and cotton materials, with a small amount of silk.  Most of their cotton comes from the Denizli area, whilst linen is bought from Izmir, although it originates from the Adana region of Turkey.  Rather oddly, I learn that they pay their suppliers in US$.  Most of the cotton and linen produced in Turkey is for export and is priced accordingly.

Having sourced the material they will then create the templates that are to be used for cutting the cloth to the right shape and size.  This is a critical moment in the whole process, as these templates must be 100% right. They form the pieces of this couture jigsaw.

As many of their classic styles are ever popular, some of these templates are well used, but each year they will create a few new ones.  Before the season starts they will ensure that they create enough new garments to supply the shop.  Thereafter, its' a case of replacing things as they are sold, and also dealing with any bespoke orders that come in.

In the workshop
Halil works to a tried and trusted method that he was taught many years ago as an 'usta çırak' (apprentice).  He was taught by his older brother, the first tailor in the family.  The trick is in how you apply the templates to the cloth to ensure minimum wastage whilst maintaining a clean cut, with the pattern of the fabric going in the right direction.

I found myself having a Generation Game moment, thinking how easy Halil made it all look, but pretty sure that if I was to attempt this, I would end up with something that would only be suitable for Shrek.  

So, first get your fabric in the right position, apply the template and mark the outline for cutting.  Take the razor sharp scissors, and cut with long, confident snips.  Having done this with all the relevant templates required to complete a single garment, Halil handed the pieces over to Feridun who expertly stitched them together on his trusty machine.  His focus, speed and dexterity had all the hallmarks of a master at work.  Time for another Generation Game moment in your reporters mind, only this time I am imagining all sorts of carnage with my fingers and the needle in the machine.

From the workshop to the store
After the trimming, it's time for a quick press with an iron, before the garment in question is whisked across Kalkan to the shop on Hasan Altan Caddesi.  Asena now has the task of presenting the garment in such a way that customers will be falling over themselves to buy it.  There is an art to arranging clothes in this way.  If you work for one of the trendy clothes shops in a UK shopping mall, you are probably sent on a course to teach you the tricks of the trade.  These days, you can probably get a 'degree' in this at an enlightened university.  Asena, on the other hand, has learned on the job, and knows what works from experience.

The kerching of the cash register ends the process, and they start all over again.

Please note that this article from our Hand Made in Kalkan series is aimed at providing you with an insight into local Kalkan trades.  There are many tailors in Kalkan - see our Business Directory, and all of them need your patronage, not just the one featured in this article.

Below: Halil Tufan positions the template

Below: Halil Tufan makes some final measurements

Below: Halil Tufan makes the first confident cut

Below: more precision cutting from Halil Tufan

Below: Terzi Feridun (tailor Feridun) - an expert and his machine

Below: Asena Tufan, and her father Halil promote the finished product