Sue TheMannequin

Once upon a time the Sultan wanted to have a special dress for the Valide. He found the best designer in Venice, Il Stilisto. While the Valide was sleeping in the Sultan’s bedroom overlooking the Golden Horn in Topkapi Palace, the Sultan got her measurements. Il Stilisto ordered a mannequin in the Valide’s size. He named the mannequin, Sue. He designed a silk bodice festooned with roses and a blue silk skirt trimmed with raspberry red. He loved the dress on Sue and shipped the dress with Sue before the Valide’s birthday. She celebrated her birthday with the dress on and after that she put it on every year for her birthday. On other days, it was Sue’s dress. After the Valide passed away, the Cariye took care of Sue at the Harem till the end of 18th century. Then, Sue inspired many designers in Istanbul, Venice, Paris and Istanbul again.

We found her in a tiny sewing machine store at Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. She was sitting on a dusty antique sewing machine. She had a cream color cotton dress on. She did not belong there. She was not for sale. But we insisted on taking her away from the covered store and giving her back a life surrounded by love and people. She looked so sad that we could not resist, so we took her.

Now she is here at Bistrouge in New York, sitting on the bench during the summer and hanging out with people. She comes inside during the winter and sits at the bar. She smiles. We smile