Vakko facts for kids
 |
|
Vakko department store in December 2022
|
|
| Industry | Fashion |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1934 |
| Founder | Vitali Hakko |
| Headquarters | , |
|
Key people
|
Cem Hakko (President) Jaklin Guner (CEO) |
| Products | Luxury goods |
| Revenue |  $424 million (2023) |
Vakko is a famous Turkish fashion company. It was started by Vitali Hakko in 1934. Today, his son Cem Hakko helps lead the company.
Vakko makes and sells many cool things like clothes, leather bags, and other fashion items. They have big department stores called Vakko in major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir. You can find these stores in popular malls such as Zorlu Center and İstinye Park.
Vakko also has other types of stores. These include Vakkorama for younger styles, Vakko Couture for fancy custom clothes, Vakko Wedding for special wedding outfits, and Vakko Home for stylish things for your house. They even have Vakko Outlet stores where you can find great deals!
In 1962, Vakko opened a huge eight-story store on İstiklal Avenue in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. It was the first modern department store in Turkey! This store was open until 2006.
Contents
The Story of Vakko: From Hats to Fashion Empire
Vakko started in 1934 as a small hat shop called Şen Şapka (which means "The Happy Hat"). It was founded by Vitali Hakko.
In 1937, Vitali Hakko changed the name to Vakko. He also opened Turkey's first silk dyeing workshop. After that, Vakko began making scarves from Turkish silk, cotton, and wool. Over time, Vakko started making ready-to-wear clothes, not just hats and scarves. They were one of the first stores to offer modern shopping experiences, like sales without bargaining and easy returns.
Growing Across Turkey
In 1962, Vitali Hakko opened a big 8-story store in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. This store even had a cafe and a fashion gallery! In 1969, the first Vakko factory was built. It was a huge place, covering 40,000 square meters, and it created many jobs.
Vakko continued to grow. In 1973, a second Vakko store opened in Ankara. Then, in 1979, the third Vakko store opened in İzmir. Vakko became very popular thanks to its advertising and fashion shows all over Turkey.
Vakko Goes International
In September 1979, Vakko opened its first store outside Turkey, in Old Bond Street, London. They sold mostly Vakko-made items there.
In 1981, Vakko organized a special fashion and art show called "Anatolian Sun." This show mixed Turkish culture with Western fashion. It was shown in cities like Rome, Vienna, Brussels, Paris, and London. This helped introduce Vakko to Europe as a modern Turkish fashion brand.
New Brands and Collaborations
In 1982, Vakkorama opened in Taksim, Istanbul. It was one of Turkey's first stores for young people. In 2000, Vakkorama launched a new team called V2K Designers. Their goal was to bring fashion from New York to Istanbul. Over time, V2K Designers started featuring clothes from famous designers and brands from other fashion cities like Paris, London, and Milan. Today, it's a unique store where many different world brands are sold together.
In 2006, Vakko opened a new store in the Kanyon Shopping Mall in Istanbul. Around the same time, the famous fashion designer Zac Posen created special designs for Vakko. Also in 2006, the world-famous model Gisele Bündchen became the face of Vakko's advertising campaign.
Expanding Beyond Fashion
Vakko has expanded into many different areas:
- In 2009, Vakko Home was launched. It offers furniture, home decorations, bed linens, and towels.
- In 2010, the Vakko Fashion Center opened. It's a big building that holds all of Vakko's management and creative teams. It also has showrooms, a library, an auditorium, and a museum.
- Also in 2010, Vakko Wedding House opened. This store has everything for brides and grooms, including dresses, tuxedos, and accessories.
- In 2011, the Vitali Hakko Creative Industries Library opened. It has many books about fashion, architecture, painting, design, cinema, and music.
- In 2013, the Vakko Esmod Fashion School started. It's a partnership with a famous fashion school from Paris called ESMOD.
- In 2016, Vakko opened its first Vakko Patisserie, which sells delicious baked goods, ice cream, and chocolates. They also created a new brand called Vakko L'Atelier for all their food and drink services.
Vakko Stores: Where to Find Them
As of late 2023, Vakko had 181 sales points! These include:
- 29 department stores
- 44 Vakko Boutiques
- 27 Vakkorama stores
- 51 W Collection stores
- 15 Vakko Outlet stores
- 10 Vakko Wedding stores
- 5 Vakko Home stores
Here are some of the main types of Vakko stores and where you can find them:
| Store Type | Locations | What You'll Find | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Istanbul | Other Cities | |||
| Vakko Department Stores | ||||
| Full-line Vakko Department Stores |
|
Elsewhere
|
Large stores with a wide range of luxury fashion and goods. | |
| Vakko Couture |
|
Custom-made and high-end fashion. | ||
| Vakko Mare |
|
Swimwear and beachwear. | ||
| Other Vakko Brands | ||||
| Vakko Boutique |
Many locations including:
|
Many locations including: | Smaller stores with a curated selection of Vakko items. | |
| Vakko Home |
|
|
Home furnishings, decor, and textiles. | |
| Vakko Wedding |
|
|
Everything for weddings, from dresses to accessories. | |
| Vakko Outlet |
|
Discounted items from previous seasons. | ||
| Vakkorama |
|
|
Stores for young people with fashion, gifts, and more. Started in 1982. | |
| V2K Designers |
|
A special section within Vakkorama and Vakko stores that features designs from famous international designers. | ||
| Vakko L'Atelier |
|
Vakko's food and beverage services. | ||
The Special Bağdat Avenue Store
Since 1996, the Vakko department store on Bağdat Avenue in Istanbul has been in a beautiful old wooden villa. People love this store for its look and amazing displays. Especially during the winter holidays, Vakko Suadiye is famous for its decorations, with many decorated trees and even a merry-go-round outside! In 2012, they even made artificial snow fall in front of the store.
Beyond Retail: Vakko's Other Ventures
Vakko is involved in more than just selling clothes!
- Vakko Hotel and Residence: A hotel and living space in Istanbul.
- Vakko Esmod: A fashion school for aspiring designers.
- VET Vakko School of Hospitality and Service: A new school that opened in 2024, partnering with a famous hotel school in Switzerland.
- Vitali Hakko Creative Industries Library: A library focused on creative arts.
- Power Media: A media company that runs many radio and TV channels.
Power Media: Music and More
Power Media is a big part of Vakko. It's also known as Power Grup. They run many popular radio stations like Power FM, Power TürkFM, and Radyo Fenomen. They also have music video TV channels such as Power TV and PowerTürk TV.
Power Group started in 1992 with Power FM, a national radio station. They have grown a lot since then, with many radio and TV channels. About 160 people work at the Power Media Center, which is in the same building as Vakko's main office.
