Getting to know Can and Serenay

This month we caught up with Can and Serenay, the power couple behind the handmade ethical shoe brand, Akana.

What inspired you to set up your business?

Can: My father ran a business at The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul for over 20 years. Home to over 4,000 shops, this is one of the oldest and biggest markets in the world.

Retail is in my blood. I grew up surrounded by an incredible array of artisanal goods, jewellery and clothes and a passion for beautiful hand-crafted, well made products and wares.

Tell us why you chose the South Melbourne Market to sell your products?

Serenay: We live locally and were immediately drawn to South Melbourne Market when we first discovered it. This place is different to regular retail experiences, with such a strong sense of community and a friendly atmosphere.

We started off with a pop-up store in SO:ME Space in March 2020, just when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It wasn't our best timing but we love this Market so much and we wanted to come back.

Our loyal customers are what makes this place so special. When you come to the Market next, pop into our stall, we’re always up for a chat and a coffee. 

What makes your shoes so special?

Can: Akanas are handmade leather shoes, perfected over six centuries of Turkish tradition.

Each pair of Akanas begins life as pieces of leather cut for different shoe sizes using ready-made lasts. The premium full grain leather comes worked and tanned from an established and award-winning Istanbul tannery.

Once the leather is cut into pieces, it moves through each artisan in the atelier getting sewn, stretched and stitched. Apart from the use of the sewing machine and the rubber sole, artisans craft the shoes based on the 600-year-old tradition (the double needle stitching technique) as it has been passed down from generation to generation.

One of the most important benefits of the Akanas is how comfortable they are. Within days of wearing them, the soft buttery leather upper and sole moulds to the exact shape of your feet. They also come in a wide variety of colours and we change the colour pallet seasonally, so there’s plenty to choose from.

Do you only stock Akana shoes?

The Akanas are the bread and butter of our little company. However, we also stock beautiful hand-made leather sandals made by 4th generation artisans, hand-made bags, and have recently added hand-woven scarves to our collection. These scarves are unique to Turkey and made by one of the last three artisans left in the country who craft them using traditional techniques. Coincidently, Dior has since added them to their collection, showcasing them in their recent fashion shows! 

Tell us about your ethical and sustainability practices

The small-batch production of Akanas means that the atelier is not a black hole of energy and industrial waste. We discourage our customers from purchasing multiple pairs of our shoes and instead tell them to wear them out first (the majority still come back for a second or third pair though!). 

We know every single person in our production line. This is important to us to ensure we have good working relationships and that we can pay everyone equally and fairly. It’s heart-warming to know we are supporting people and their heritage craft in our home country of Turkey and we’re proud to be selling our beautiful products in Australia.

We source our leather from gold medal awarded tanneries by Leather Working Group which is a Non-profit organisation. We know that our leather is by product of food industry and totally traceable which means where leather comes from and how that was processed in the supply chain.

We think our products are extremely high quality. If we aren’t happy with the final result, we simply won’t sell them. We’re constantly learning from our suppliers and employees who teach and guide us, ensuring our products and scarfs last for years, not for one season.

What’s your Market ritual? Do you have a favourite go-to?

Can: Honestly, it’s always a hot pie and sauce from Small Town Pie Co. for me!

Serenay: The lentil soup and gozleme from Market Borek is my go-to. There are so many great options to choose from here though, we are spoilt for choice.

Find Akana in SO:ME Space open every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8am.