Who we are and what we love
THE DESIGNERS IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
Summer, 2021
"We don't just make shiny objects, we wanted to create wearable stories and memories, pieces that honor our cultures and the places we love."
From pleasant Caribbean beaches to bustling Turkish bazaars, İTÄ is crafted, link by link, from the enduring memories of two dear friends.
Inés Capó (Puerto Rico) and Äfet Burcu Salargil (Turkey) met while studying as undergraduates in university—Inés in magazine journalism and Äfet in fashion design.
For nearly twenty years, their paths have crossed and parted, with professional and personal detours along the way. Across their travels, between their cultures, and through the years, they’ve supported and inspired one another— a friendship that is built on openness and a love of cultural exchange.
ROOTED IN DECADES OF FRIENDSHIP
İTÄ is their friendship—steeped in bittersweet wanderings, seeking a connection to home
2000 | Syracuse University
2009 | Istanbul
2019 | Grand Bazaar
THE GRAND BAZAAR: MENTOR, SOURCING, INSPIRATION
In 2019, after years of spontaneous visits to each other's homelands and roaming about the Grand Bazaar, they decided to put their synergies to work and created İTÄ.
They imbue each collection with the mythical stories and symbols of the Caribbean’s rich heritage, with subtle hints of the designers’ wandering spirits brought to life through timeless Turkish craftsmanship. They continue to hone their inspiration in ancient artifacts and stories from their ancestral homelands.
Inés and Äfet hope that everyone, no matter where they're from, will discover a spirit in their designs that speaks to the heart: a sweet longing for the places you were destined to visit and live, and the people you were destined to meet and love.
