Lokum Istanbul is a beautiful shop in London’s Knightsbridge selling perfume and gifts that represent the culture and history of Istanbul. And given its location you would expect everything to be prohibitively expensive. Everything is of the highest quality and impeccably packaged and wrapped.
Wedding 2008
But if you are looking for a special gift that doesn’t cost the earth then this is the place for you. There are perfumes, eau de colognes, room sprays, Turkish Delight made with rose petals and lovely candles, some of which are red and shaped like a fez. The room sprays cost £15 and the lovely tea bags that have an Ottoman prince with his arms out to support them across the top of the cup are £7.
“Lokum Istanbul” in Walton Street opened in 2011 and reflects the passion of owner Zeynep Keyman to bring goods and services that epitomise Turkish culture.
Zynep grew up in the surroundings of the Bosphourus, a shoreline dotted with fishing villages, lush woodlands and the the Palaces of the late Ottoman period. Surrounded by the colours and flowers and they heady perfumes she was inspired and captivated by their beauty to establish her first lifestyle store in Istanbul.
So in 2005 the first Lokum Istanbul opened in the Turkish city offering personalised services and bespoke stationery. Today the sumptuous delicacies of Turkish Delights,which is the meaning of “Lokum” in Turkish are at the core of the products, and presented in exquisite black and beige boxes with an Ottoman Toile-deJouy pattern. It’s a glimpse of the paste with a modern twist, featuring hand-made pompoms that line the exterior of the boxes and the signature design of the brand.
All the products, including the opulent colognes are made in Turkey with locally sourced ingredients including lime, linden blossom, rose, fig, tea, lavender, mandarin and mimosa. There are lotions and Hamman body scrubs and oils as well as the signature stationery
Lokum Istanbul, 95 Walton Street, Knightsbridge, London SW3 2HP T: 020 7225 0704 www.lokumistanbul.co.uk
