[caption id="attachment_77250" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Vidal Erkohen, Istanbul eyeglasses designer -- RVS BY V[/caption]The de facto capital city of Turkey, one of Europe's only growing economies, Istanbul has started to establish itself in the style world as a new power. As the West's gateway to Asia and the Middle East, the Turks are blending styles in a way that's refreshingly new, and the runways in the US and Europe are taking notice.

Our Academy says:

On my second visit to the city, this past May, I was amazed at how this fascinating metropolis had grown up –- literally and figuratively. Not only is it teeming with millions of people (one of its more maddening aspects, admittedly), Istanbul has evolved into one of the world’s most exciting hubs for fashion, design, hotels, restaurants and nightlife, particularly along the banks of the Bosphorus, which would have to be in the world’s top three most glamorous waterfronts.

--Emma Sloley

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Emma's Picks for the 2011 Travel Awards

Istanbul: Turkish Delight