• Slick• Proud
• Spirited
• Mysterious
• Multicultured
• Etno Masculine
• Sophisticated
• Progressive
• Consistent
• Dynamic
• Noble
The Company
ORKA Tekstil was established in 1986 by Mr. Süleyman Orakçıoğlu, who, together with his brother Mr. Halidun Orakçıoğlu, direct 78 concept stores in 40 countries with a total of 264 sales points. The company has since been renamed the Orka Group, which has branched into three unique brands, including the deluxe formalwear of Damat, the trendy label Tween, and the casual line ADV.
The three labels have grown so popular that the late king of pop, Michael Jackson, purchased a tuxedo from the Damat-Tween store at the Sabco Center in Oman back in 2005. The 60’s music icon Ringo Starr has joined the world celebrities who prefer Tween, as well as Brad Pitt and Fatboy Slim. Several football legends of the Chelsea team have followed suit.
Since the company’s inception, Mr. Süleyman Orakçıoğlu has demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurship, which has earned him numerous awards over the years. In turn, the ORKA Group has also been decorated with prestigious titles and acclaim, such as most successful company and brand.
In addition to speaking at international panels, Mr. Süleyman Orakçıoğlu has founded assorted associations and chaired national boards like that of the Turkish Textile and Apparel Exporters Association.
The Label
Orka’s trendy label, Tween, was founded in 1995 as an accessible designer brand that could bridge the gap between the luxury sector and mainstream markets, thus satisfying the need of a major niche in menswear consumerism. So, just who is the perfect Tween fit?
The Tween kind of guy tends to be more progressive than most. He is sophisticated, multicultural, and dynamic! Spanning the ages of 25-50, the Tween male is definitely high class: a man of modernity who likes to mix it up a little by combining multiple colors with metropolitan styles.
Until the 1990’s, men dressed themselves under the roof of their preferred labels, assuming the look and feel of a certain name brand. Contrariwise, the contemporary Tween man bases his look and individual style on a completely new set of criteria, such as his favorite music or a personal attitude.
For this reason, Tween’s mission has been to provide the essential basics to all men who shop outside the group. Through a marriage of flattering functionality and individual style, the collections aim at supporting each man’s personal taste with unpretentious details and perfect fits.
Photos Copyright ORKA Tekstil.Tween is the offspring of Orka’s creative director, Ms. Güneş Güner Işik, who has been working with the company since 1995. Educated at the Marangoni Institute and the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan where she acquired a flair for street fashion and menswear, Ms. Işik draws her multicultural bent from the fashion hubs of New York and London.
In each design, Ms. Işik adheres to the principles of authenticity and simplicity as she balances creativity with reality. Blending eastern and western karmas into her creations, Ms. Işik exalts modern masculinity, which is symbolized by the ram’s antler of the Tween monogram.
Read all the articles by Mark in 2016 Spring Uomo Moda:
Uomo Moda ‘10 Spring Edition—the All-Star Issue
Be a Star in Spring 2016: Editorial, Uomo Moda
PUMA: Over 60 Years of Reaching for the Stars
Dolce & Gabbana: 2 Stars in Italian Luxury
Dolce & Gabbana 2016 Spring Collection: “Extreme Beauty”
United Colors of Benetton: A Family of Stars
Benetton's Star Desginer: Vincenzo ScognamiglioUnited Colors of Benetton: 2016 Spring/Summer Collection