Katia Kiracı’s hat shop (Şapkacı Katya) offers a rare window into the Beyoğlu of an earlier generation, when local craftsmanship was closely tied to everyday street life. An Istanbul Greek (Rum) milliner, Katia comes from one of the communities that helped shape the district’s cosmopolitan character. For more than 60 years, she has continued the profession she learned from her mother, preserving a family tradition through major changes in the neighborhood.

Her story reflects the transformation of Beyoğlu itself. The surrounding passages and side streets once housed many independent boutiques, from tailors to lace makers. İstiklal Avenue was also a social promenade, where dressing elegantly was part of going out and being seen. From the 1980s onward, much of this world began to disappear as shopping habits changed and many traditional businesses closed. Katia, however, remained committed to her craft and continued making hats despite the changes around her.

Her shop is the last surviving hat maker in the area. That is why, the shop feels  more like a piece of living urban history. When you look around the shop, you can catch a sense of Beyoğlu where independent artisans helped give the neighborhood its distinctive character.