Fashion pulse: Türkiye — April 2026

Consumer prices (April)

Headline annual inflation in Türkiye accelerated to plus 32.37 percent in April 2026 from plus 30.87 percent in March, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) — reversing the recent disinflation, led by energy and food. Even after the uptick, inflation remains far below the peaks of the 2022 to 2024 cycle.

Fashion stayed the relative bright spot. Clothing and footwear inflation held in single digits — around plus 9.7 percent year-on-year per TurkStat, more than 20 percentage points below the headline rate — while the clothing price index rose sharply on the month to 104.69 from 96.10 (2025 equals 100) as full-price spring collections replaced discounted winter stock. The flip of three years ago endures: fashion, once Türkiye's hottest inflation category, is now among those pulling the index lower.

Retail sales (March — latest available)

Turkish retail trade volume grew plus 21.2 percent year-on-year in March 2026 per TurkStat — the strongest pace in more than two years and an acceleration from plus 15.6 percent in February. The fashion-specific textiles, clothing and footwear line grew plus 13.7 percent year-on-year (plus 1.6 percent on the month) per TurkStat — solid real growth, but notably slower than the total, so fashion lagged the broader retail surge.

The April retail release is not yet published, so March is the latest available read. Card spending from the Interbank Card Center (BKM) and shopping-centre turnover from the Shopping Centers and Investors Association (AYD) give faster monthly fashion-consumption signals between official releases.

Consumer sentiment (April)

The Consumer Confidence Index edged up to 85.5 in April from 85.0 in March, according to TurkStat — a third straight month in the mid-80s, well below the neutral 100 line but stable. The durable-goods spending sub-index, the leading indicator most closely tied to fashion demand, has hovered just above 100, signalling cautious but intact willingness to spend.

Monetary policy and currency

The Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT) held its one-week repo rate at 37 percent through April. The lira weakened further, averaging 44.80 to the US dollar in April versus 44.21 in March — roughly 18 percent weaker than a year earlier (April 2025 averaged 38.14) — keeping currency pass-through into retail price lists a live risk for importers, even as it supports Türkiye's large apparel-export base.

What it means for fashion

Türkiye's April story is resilient retail volumes and benign fashion pricing against a still-high but easing macro backdrop. For LC Waikiki, Mavi, Koton, DeFacto, Boyner and the international chains in the market, the read is constructive: clothing inflation stays in single digits and fashion-retail volume grew plus 13.7 percent in real terms, so consumers are still buying clothes, not merely paying more — though fashion is growing more slowly than total retail. The lira's ongoing depreciation is the standing risk — it lifts the cost of imported inputs and finished goods even as it boosts the competitiveness of Turkish exporters.

Note: the figures in this article are based on different reporting periods. Some indicators are already available for April 2026, while others are reported with a time lag due to survey and publication cycles. This is common practice in official statistics and nevertheless allows for a reliable assessment of current market trends.