Playing Around

Some fools may think that Abbey Road is music for druggies; judge bands like Led Zeppelin to lack a ‘wow’ factor; and find Anne Frank’s diary to be totally girly-girly.

Or label Ömer Ozan‘s creations as ‘just toys’.

If you’re ‘toying’ with some off-beat gift ideas – and lets face it, buying for others is always less exciting than shopping for yourself—go no further than these fantastic, quirky and otherworldly plush characters.

Made from fabric and limitless imagination (and possibly limitless something else, too) these toys are completely unique. Each has a weird and wonderful story to tell, and they are totally customised and created on request.

A brilliant maker of toys, Ozan has an education in fine arts and crossed over to strange toy making on the way.  Two of of his creations, Bugi and his nasty cousin Sakir (meaning Sucker), are a regular feature in the Turkish Trendsetter magazine, where each month they have exciting new adventures as they trot around the globe from city to city under the title ‘Bugi Travels The World’.

Fun, toys and fiction - what could be a better gift for little or big kids?

Available through Atölye Afra (Başkurt Sok. 34, Cihangir.  0212 244 0497 or 0532 316 623) and Cihangir Paz-art (Roma Bahçesi recreational ground, Cihangir.  0212 245 1114) every Sunday.  Meet the hilarious characters and place orders via omerozan.blogspot.com.
- Elly Jeans