“I never expected the brand to get to where it is today,” says Bünyamin (Benji) Aydin, founder of Istanbul-based fashion brand Les Benjamins. “My father passed away when I was 19. After this, I realised my dream was always to be a designer, and my father’s dream was to see me have a brand.” Founded in 2011, Les Benjamins was born with a clear vision: to build a community and to champion the East through design.
Benji creates the Les Benjamins collections with his wife, Lamia Al-Otaishan Aydin, the brand’s womenswear design director. The groundbreaking SS24 collection, ‘Kismet Voyage East to West’, fused Turkey’s cultural past with futurism. For the upcoming AW24 season, Benji and Lamia expand on this idea of heritage with ‘Eastern Punk’ – a collection based on reclaiming old narratives and celebrating the vibrant punk 1970s Turkish punk scene, which will be out in September. Inspired by his father’s rug business, Turkish prints land on woven cardigans, distressed denim and voluminous skirts, while androgynous kilts and coats are finished with oversized pins and chains. Steering away from the brand’s previous streetwear aesthetic, this collection is teeming with rebellion, attitude and opinion.
“People in punk are loners, and that’s how I felt in fashion: it’s lonely when you don’t feel understood by the world,” says Benji, as we sit in Soho House Istanbul prior to the launch party for the AW24 collection. “Launching a brand in the East means you have to fight ten times harder to get approval from the West.”
The admiration between the husband-and-wife duo is unmissable. Benji describes his eagerness to have Lamia join the team, and how “it took me six months to actually convince her!” Lamia has pushed Les Benjamins womenswear forward to a point where it is now just as much a focus as the menswear. “I feel like the more dreams that Benji has, the more that I can follow him – we’re side by side on this journey,” she says.
Beyond the clothes, the impact of Benji and Lamia extends far and wide. Their vision transforms their stores into vibrant cultural hubs that serve as a meeting ground for Istanbul’s youth – here, a sense of community blossoms. Lamia, with joy in her eyes, says, “I absolutely love watching how the youth celebrate the brand, it’s so exciting.” Through events and exhibitions, their stores have evolved into more than just retail spaces – they are where the city’s new generation finds common ground to connect, collaborate and bring their ideas to life. The duo’s commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and creativity is what makes Les Benjamins a catalyst for cultural conversation in the heart of Istanbul.
When speaking about how the fashion industry in the Middle East had changed since the brand’s launch, the pair light up: “I see so many talented designers and new brands coming out, and they’re really getting a lot of support! Whether that’s in Turkey, the UAE or Saudi – it makes me so happy to see,” says Benji.
Istanbul is where the East meets the West, and serves as a melting pot of history, creativity and culture. This is absolutely brought to life at the AW24 launch party later that night. Spilling out of the entrance are all the artists and individuals who make up the Les Benjamins community. Clad in their most rebellious looks, with cigarettes in hand, they animatedly greet Lamia and Benji as they arrive for the evening celebrations. “We’ve created such a strong community here over 13 years,” Benji says, gesturing to the people filling up the room. “Now they can go deep into their own stories and inspirations. They are doing it their own way.”
With live performances from local musicians, the room’s energy pulsates with the raw and unapologetic spirit of punk as creatives from all disciplines celebrate their love and respect for the ethos of Les Benjamins. It’s testament to the brand’s ability to unite individuals under a common banner and cultivate a shared appreciation for Istanbul’s creativity and culture.
Listen: The Playlist That Gets Lamia & Benji In The Creative Zone...
The Les Benjamins AW24 collection will be available from September 2024.
Pia Brynteson is Digital Editor at Service95
