The Memory of a Bag: Beymen Timeless Treasures at Tersane Istanbul

A Louis Vuitton chest suitcase, produced for Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1886, meets contemporary designs inspired by the colors of Iznik tiles and Ottoman embroidery in the same exhibition. These works, which are more than a century apart, remind us that the bag is not just a functional accessory; It is also a carrier of identity, status, memory and the interaction between cultures. Timeless Treasures – The Eternal Journey of the Bag, brought to life by Beymen after more than two years of research and preparation, explores the changing meanings of this familiar object throughout history. The selection of 80 pieces, shaped by the contributions of 55 of the world's leading fashion brands and three original works by young designers, is on display at Beymen Tersane – Galleries of Luxury at Tersane Istanbul between November 8, 2026 and February 8, 2027.

Curated by fashion writer and curator Laurence Benaïm and prepared with exhibition design by Bureau Betak, Timeless Treasures examines the centuries-old cultural interaction between East and West through the evolution of the bag.The research, contributed by academics and experts from different disciplines, focuses on the multi-layered heritage of Anatolia, traditional production techniques and the roles of the bag in different societies. Based on this accumulation, fashion houses that come together for the exhibition design special works for Beymen or include rare pieces selected from their archives in the collection.In the selection, to which fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Schiaparelli, Dries Van Noten, Chloé and Valentino Garavani contributed, many references ranging from the colors of Iznik tiles to the motifs of Ottoman palace gardens, from gold craftsmanship to the weaving, leather and saddlebag traditions of Central Asia and Anatolia are reinterpreted in the language of contemporary design. The exhibition consists of seven thematic sections; It ranges from historical pouches that store letters, edicts and secrets to bags embroidered like jewelry, from chest forms to traces of nomadic culture. Each section treats the bag as a cultural object that reflects the aesthetic understanding, lifestyle and craft knowledge of the period to which it belongs.The cultural heritage narrative, which started with the Golden Opulence project consisting of exhibitions, books and documentaries, implemented by Beymen in 2023 as part of the 50th anniversary of its establishment, gains a new dimension with Timeless Treasures. This time, there is only one object at the center of the story that spans centuries: the bag.

One of the most historically striking works of the exhibition is the striped, chest-of-drawer suitcase specially produced by Louis Vuitton for Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1886 at the Asnières workshop near Paris. This piece, brought to Istanbul from the brand's archive in Paris, brings the travel culture of the 19th century, the understanding of craftsmanship and the relationship between the concept of luxury and the lifestyle of the period to the present day. However, Timeless Treasures is not content with just looking at the past. Three original works selected in the Beymen Young Talents Design Competition organized within the scope of the exhibition are presented side by side with the works of international fashion houses. Thus, the design heritage of Anatolia gains a perspective that extends to the future with the interpretations of the new generation of creators.