IL Postcard
How I Found Brad Pitt’s Boot Maker
Date: 09/24/2008 Author: Steenie Harvey
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008
Read more about making money through import-export in International Living Postcards—your daily escape
Dear International Living Reader,
My feet have swollen with the heat, so I can’t figure what size Yemeni slippers would fit. These soft leather shoes (enclosed and open backed) are a Gaziantep specialty. One story goes they originated in Yemen, made their way to Syria, then crossed the border to Turkey's Gaziantep Province.
Traditionally dyed red or black, nowadays they also come in rainbow colors. Handmade uppers are from tanned goatskin, insides from sheep leather, the soles from water buffalo leather. Everything is hand-sewn.
In Gaziantep City's main bazaar, Bakircilar Carsisi, I find Orhan Cakiroglu’s workshop. I don’t realize he’s a shoemaking celebrity until he explains about the poster of Brad Pitt playing Achilles in Troy. Orhan supplied Brad’s boots. You can have the same for $127 or ladies boots for $105. There’s probably leeway. The Yemeni slippers I’m admiring come down from $29.50 to $25.
A few doors away, in another bazaar shop, Yemeni Dunyasi, I haggle down slippers to $17, but these guys can’t boast of shoeing Brad. Like in Orhan’s workshop, my excuse for not buying is swollen feet. I fib I’ll be back tomorrow...
Another bazaar eye-catcher is vividly striped kutnu. Woven in Gaziantep since the 13th century, it once clothed sultans. It’s not made of pure silk nowadays, but matte cotton alternated with stripes of glossy satin-type material. Patterned with flowers, these rainbow stripes shimmer gold, reds, greens, violet, and maroon.
No business card to get the shop’s name from, but you’ll recognize the fabric. The bearded owner sits on a bench outside, wears a white Muslim cap, and speaks German. He quoted a little over $4 a meter (39 inches).
Steenie Harvey
Treasure Seeker, International Living
Editor’s Note: Our Import-Export kit is on sale this week with a discount of 20%. What’s more, for this week and this week only, you will get Steenie’s Unabridged and Uncensored Turkey Journal with all the contact information she gathered from her trip. Order your copy here.
Read related IL Postcards:
- Buy “Baker’s Boy” Caps for 84 Cents…Sell for $25
- Make 57% Profits With Turkish Import-Export Delights
- How to Profit From African Beads
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Off-Thread... sorry..!
Dissapointed in ME
Friday September 26 2008 10:18:06 am