What Koton is known for

Turkish fast-fashion chain founded in Istanbul in 1988 by Yılmaz and Gülden Yılmaz from a 25-square-metre Kuzguncuk shop; now roughly 460 stores across more than 30 countries.

Koton is a Turkish fast-fashion retailer founded in Istanbul in 1988 by Yılmaz and Gülden Yılmaz, who opened their first store - just 25 square meters - in the Kuzguncuk district. The company moved into wholesale ready-to-wear in 1992, then opened its first store outside Turkey, in Munich, Germany, in 1996. In 2000 it shifted its main focus from wholesale toward larger-format retail stores. Koton has since grown into one of Turkey's largest ready-to-wear chains, operating roughly 460 stores in more than 30 countries. The company went public on Borsa Istanbul in 2024, trading under the ticker KOTON.