IFCO – Istanbul Fashion Connection: Where Fashion Connects to the Future – 7th Edition Again Visitor Magnet for the International Fashion Industry

Successful seventh edition of IFCO, Istanbul Fashion Connection writes success story and confirms itself as an international fashion hub

With 513 exhibitors in 8 halls of the Istanbul Expo Centre, all fashion segments under one roof: womenswear, menswear, kids wear, designer, lingerie & hosiery, evening dress, denim, leather garments, shoes and accessories,

33,788 visitors from 151 countries with a over 40 % share of international visitors, an increase of 5,3% compared to February 2024

Main visitor countries: Middle East (32.5%), Europe (23.1%), Asia (25.1%), North Africa (14.6%), A total of 4,7% of visitors came from the USA, South America, Australia and Africa.

B2B meetings in speed dating mode in the elegant ambience of the WoW Hotel on the day before the trade fair with high-calibre international buyer groups

Over 25 top designers once again inspired visitors with their creative and high-quality collections in The Core Istanbul, IFCO Brands presented the leading Turkish retail brands, the kids’ area IFCO Kids grew to 40 exhibitors.

IMA Trend Area inspired with the theme MINDSCAPE, combines science and spirituality, technological innovation with holistic well-being, promoted the understanding of personal growth and ecological awareness

In focus of the expert talks at IFCO: spring/summer 26 trends from WGSN, fashion marketing in the context of social media from IUAD Napoli Moda Academia digitalization in the fashion industry from fashion sector, among others.
The successful seventh edition of IFCO Istanbul Fashion Connection took place from 5 to 8 February 2025 with 33,788 visitors. At IFCO, with 514 exhibitors met international trade visitors from 151 countries such Algeria, Canada, France, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, the USA and the United Arab Emirates in a total of 8 halls at the Istanbul Expo Centre. The largest group of foreign visitors came from the Middle East (32.5%), Asia (25.1%), Europe (23.1%) and North Africa (14.6%). A total of 4,7% of visitors came from the USA, South America, Australia and Africa.

EXHIBITORS

Divided into clear product areas on a total of 35,000 square meters of exhibition space, brands and manufacturers presented the latest collections from the areas of womenswear, menswear, kids wear, denim, sportswear, evening and wedding wear, lingerie, hosiery, leather garments, shoes and accessories.

The Core Istanbul, originally part of Istanbul Fashion Week, is now a central part of IFCO. More than 25 established and up-and-coming designers use the platform to present their collections and make valuable contacts – both with long-standing and new customers.

In the IFCO BRANDS area, market leaders and retail brands such as Jakamen, Sabri Özel, NCS, Kayra, Jimmy Key, UCLA – Ecko Unltd, Nefeli, Armine, Rojbey, Kiğılı, Nara Max, İpekyol, and Damat impressed with trendy stands in their individual store designs. They presented the latest collections, which they also sell internationally, and reported that they were very satisfied with their participation in the trade fair.

The FashionIST area once again presented itself in its own areas in Halls 5-6 with a large selection of manufacturers of high-quality evening dresses and suits. Brands presented their current collections in the womenswear area in Halls 2 and 4, including denim and sportswear suppliers. Menswear was represented in Hall 8. The LinExpo lingerie & hosiery area occupied two halls in Halls 9 and 10.

VISITORS

With 33,800 visitors, the seventh edition of IFCO continues to emphasise its relevance as an international hub for the fashion industry. With a 42.1% share of international visitors, it recorded an increase of 5.3% compared to the February event last year. The event attracted high-calibre international buyers, including John Levis (UK) , J.P Boden& Co. Limited. (UK) , Liverpool Retail India Limited, Monsoon Brand Ltd. (UK), Nicoli Network Sl. (Spain), Aeon Co.(M ) BHD. (Malezia), Arıat (USA), LE ALFRE (USA), About You (Germany), Aritzia (Canada), Groupe Vanessa Bruno (France). All of these brands took advantage of the opportunities offered by the B2B meetings and networking opportunities at IFCO.

Supporting programme

IFCO’s collaboration with the renowned Fashion Designers’ Association (MTD), which played a key role in the organization of Istanbul Fashion Week, was continued for the design of the IFCO Trend Area. This year’s theme, MINDSCAPE, was creatively realized once again by the IMA- Istanbul Fashion Academia MINDSCAPE combines science and spirituality and shows how digital innovations deepen our understanding of mind and soul. The concept promotes personal growth and ecological awareness by combining modern data with traditional knowledge.

The seminar program at IFCO informed about current topics such as Spring / Summer Trends 26 from WGSN; the influence of social media, online sales and AI on fashion marketing from the IUAD Naples Fashion Academy. The panel discussion on the fourth day of the trade fair focused on digitalization in the fashion industry with innovations, trends and applications in 2D, 3D and AI software.

The daily IFCO shows provided an impressive stage for trend-setting designs and set inspiring accents for the coming season.The upcoming 8th edition of IFCO is scheduled to take place on August 20-22, 2025.