Zühal Yorgancıoğlu, the Doyenne of Turkish Fashion, Passes Away

Zühal Yorgancıoğlu, a renowned figure in Turkish fashion, has passed away at the age of 100. Born in Izmir and known as 'Madam Z', Yorgancıoğlu held her first fashion show in 1963.The famous designer had dressed many well-known individuals, including Jackie Onassis, the wife of John F. Kennedy, Linda Gray, Lindsay Wagner, Dalida, as well as Turkish celebrities such as Ajda Pekkan, Emel Sayın, Nükhet Duru, Sibel Can, Müzeyyen Senar, and Hülya Avşar. Yorgancıoğlu, who made significant contributions to the world of fashion, aimed to introduce Turkish culture and traditional arts to the world through fashion.Yorgancıoğlu passed away at her home in Balçova due to health issues related to her age. Her funeral will be held on June 25 at the Alsancak Hocazade Mosque, followed by her burial at the Urla İskele Cemetery. Born in 1926 in the Bayraklı district of Izmir, Yorgancıoğlu began sewing clothes for her dolls at the age of 8. She completed her secondary education in Izmir and then studied art and design at the Ankara Girls' Vocational High School, graduating in 1947.In 1946, she married Mehmet Yorgancıoğlu, a painting teacher, and had three children named Faruk, Haluk, and Müberra. Yorgancıoğlu worked as an art teacher and designer at her husband's workplace and in 1961, she traveled to the United States to study fashion design at the Maryland Academy of Fine Arts.