Turkish group Desa harnesses its 1972 Desa luxury line for growth

With its elegant ready-to-wear fashioned in supple, colourful leathers, 1972 Desa is little known to the general public, yet finds itself on par with the more prominent luxury labels. The brand was launched in 2014 by Turkish leather goods group Desa, which supplies luxury brands including Prada. Today, the premium men’s and women’s label is accelerating its development and refining its offering under the impetus of Croatian designer Ivana Omazić.

Omazić has enjoyed a flawless career which has taken her from Romeo Gigli to Miu Miu and Jil Sander via Céline, whose styling she helmed before the Phoebe Philo era. The designer has also worked for Maison Margiela, where she was stationed until the arrival of John Galliano. Omazić debuted at 1972 Desa for spring-summer 2025. However, it was with her autumn-winter 2025-2026 collection of over 100 pieces that she really made her mark, infusing her knowledge of innovative leather treatments, from braiding techniques to laser engraving, into the designs. “All leathers come from the food industry,” said Omazić about her designs.

The label stands out for its use of beautiful materials, notably incredibly supple nappa and plunged lambskin leathers. 1972 Desa also offers a wide range of colours with up to 16 different shades of leather. Outerwear naturally dominates its offering, with coats made from sheepskin and ultra-soft pile as well as striking jackets, such as a model featuring fine leather details reminiscent of feathers and a fully reversible parka in smooth leather on one side and lining on the other.

Omazić often reimagines wardrobe classics through a minimalist lens, but always with a sophisticated touch. She has also enriched the brand’s product range with dresses, skirts, pants, and tops. Moreover, her designs play with construction, such as a trench coat that can be broken down into a sleeveless dress and a bolero.

1972 Desa is distributed through 120 multi-brand retailers worldwide, including Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, Gio Moretti in Milan, August Pfüller in Frankfurt, Jacques Loup in Cannes, and Nérée in Nice. Europe, helmed by Italy, is the brand’s leading market, followed by Asia (South Korea and Japan), the US, and Canada. The brand offers good value for money, with jackets priced between 800 and 1,400 euros, produced entirely in-house through a fully vertical structure based in Turkey, with a smaller site in Italy.

The Desa group has a 20,000-square-metre tannery and an 18,000-square-metre garment factory in Istanbul. It also counts a 10,000-square-metre factory in Düzce, located 200 kilometres east of the Turkish capital, which produces bags for brands in the luxury segment, and has a 2,000-square-metre leather workshop in Poppi near Arezzo, Tuscany.

The business also markets its more accessible ‘Desa’ brand of ready-to-wear, bags, and shoes, through around 100 mono-brand boutiques. The business has a joint-venture partnership with Samsonite Group for distribution in Turkey, along with other countries.

Listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange since 2004, the group was founded in Istanbul in 1972 by the Çelet family, who still own 80% of the business, which is led by Burak Çelet, the founder’s son. Desa employs over 2,000 people and reported sales of 63.5 million euros in 2024.