Bu eser, VAKKO Mağazaları’nın kurucusu Vitali Hakko’nun (1913-2007) kendi ağzından aktarılmış ve ilk baskısı Türkçe olarak 1997 yılında yayınlanmış hayat hikâyesinin gözden geçirilmiş ve güncellenmiş İngilizce çevirisidir.

Yaratmış olduğu VAKKO markası günümüzde üstün kalite ile eşanlam taşımakta. Vitali Hakko aynı zamanda önemli bir hayırsever ve sosyal meseleler ile ilgilenen bir işadamı olup Beyoğlu’nu Güzelleştirme ve Koruma Derneği’nin fikir babası ve kurucularındandı.

Künye

İçindekiler

TURKISH PRONUNCIATION | 7

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE | 8

FOREWORD | 9

1. A COSMOPOLITAN WORLD IN YEDIKULE IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY | 11
2. MY FIRST ENTERPRISE: THE MOVIE BUSINESS | 14
3. AT THE FRENCH SCHOOL | 16
4. MY FIRST SOCIAL EVENT | 17
5. HARD TIMES | 18
6. GOODBYE, SCHOOL; HELLO, LIFE | 19
7. CARPENTER AND SON | 20
8. THE DAY I BECAME AN ADULT | 21
9. GETTING STARTED IN LIFE | 23
10. THE YOUNG ATHLETE | 25
11. THE WINDOW DRESSER | 26
12. THE WORLD OF MAHMUTPAŞA | 27
13. PROMOTED TO SALESCLERK | 29
14. MY NEW JOB: WINDOW DECORATING AND HATS | 30
15. FROM THE PAST TO OUR DAYS: A SHORT DIGRESSION | 32
16. THE VOLUNTEER SOLDIER | 34
17. MY FIRST STEP TOWARD VAKKO: THE MERRY HAT | 37
18. FAMILY SIZE HAPPINESS | 39
19. I GO INTO ADVERTISING | 40
20. THE SECOND STORE | 42
21. THE WAR YEARS | 43
22. FROM ITALIAN STRAW TO HATAY STRAW | 45
23. AN ASSISTANT COOK IN THE HADIMKÖY BARRACKS | 46
24. MILITARY SERVICE AFTER MY DISCHARGE | 47
25. IN CHARGE OF THE CANTEEN: MUTT AND JEFF | 48
26. BACK TO WORK | 49
27. NATIONAL DEFENSE AND HATS | 49
28. THE WEALTH TAX | 50
29. APPARENTLY, HUMANITY WASN'T DEAD! | 52
30. FROM THE MERRY HAT TO VAKKO | 53
31. THE BIRTH OF A BRAND | 54
32. IN PARIS: IN SEARCH OF AN ARTIST | 55
33. VAKKO/ KURTULUŞ | 57
34. THE NAME OF HAPPINESS | 59
35. A SHORT JOURNEY TO THE PAST | 60
36. NO FOURTH TERM IN THE ARMY! | 61
37. ‘CAPTAIN' BEDROS | 62
38. LIFE ISN'T ALWAYS ROSY | 63
39. WORKERS, EMPLOYERS, AND UNIONS | 64
40. THE SOOT FROM THE CHIMNEY; THE PATRIARCH'S VISIT | 64
41. OUR BUSINESS: FABRIC PRINTING | 66
42. AN ORDER FROM ABRAHAM | 67
43. TURKISH PRINTS IN ITALY| 68
44. HARMONY BETWEEN CONTRARY BROTHERS | 69
45. BEYOĞLU...BEYOĞLU | 70
46. PROPHETS OF DOOM | 72
47. OUR SUCCESS IN PRINTING | 73
48. FIRST STEP TOWARD READY-TO-WEAR | 74
49. AND...FASHION SHOWS | 75
50. FROM COINCIDENCE TO LONG COLLABORATION | 77
51. CERRUTI/CHLOE | 78
52. A PLACE CALLED ÇIRPICI MEADOWS | 80
53. WHICH IS EASIER: BUILDING A FACTORY OR CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN? | 82
54. A DIFFERENT LOOK AT EXPORTS | 84
55. VEHBI BEY | 86
56. PIERRE CARDIN | 88
57. MR. BORK'S LESSON | 88
58. THOSE WHO COME AFTER US | 89
59. FROM FASHION WRITER TO DESIGNER | 90
60. AN INVITATION | 91
61. STRIKE | 91
62. ANATOLIAN SUNSHINE | 95
63. THE ASSOCIATION | 95
64. SÜLEYMAN DEMIREL | 101
65. TURGUT ÖZAL | 102
66. AND THOSE WHO LOVE BEYOĞLU | 103
67. THE ARTS OF DEPARTMENT STORE MANAGEMENT AND SALESMANSHIP | 108
68. VAKKO/IZMIR | 110
69. VAKKO AND ART | 112
70. TOUR OF CHINA | 113
71. A MEMORY OF JAPAN | 114
72. VAKKORAMA AND BEYOND | 116
73. GREAT MEMORIES OF SMALL GESTURES | 118
74. QUINCENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS | 120
75. AGE EIGHTY-THREE | 122
76. HOW DO I SEE THE FUTURE? | 123
77. CONCLUDING | 125

EPILOGUE - LATER ON | 127

APPENDIX: TRIBUTES FROM THE TURKISH PRESS| 130