Elderly residents in the nursing home took part in the ‘Republic Era Hats Fashion Show’.

The ‘Republic Era Hats Fashion Show’ titled ‘Meeting of Yesterday’s Youth with Today’s Youth’ was organized at the Büyükçekmece Ay Nursing Home by the Faculty of Fine Arts at Istanbul Arel University. A colorful display emerged at the fashion show where the elderly took the stage.

In an event organized by Istanbul Arel University to promote socialization among the elderly residents of the nursing home, university students and the elderly came together. Following the Republic Era Hats Fashion Show, activities were held where cookies prepared by gastronomy instructors were individually decorated with food coloring. Caricatures prepared specifically for each elderly person were also gifted to them. The elderly who received these gifts experienced emotional moments. Subsequently, the elderly created paintings with finger paints together with instructors and students, and also had fun moments making collages on trees.

Prior to the fashion show, Associate Professor Dr. Ceyhun Berkol, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, who organized the event, said, ‘Under the title of a social responsibility project, we aimed to bring together the youth of yesterday and today. We produced special hats for the Republic era. We will dress these hats on the young ladies of yesterday and organize a fashion show. Our aim is to remember them, be with them, make them happy, and make them feel like models. Accompanied by fashion show music, some will walk the runway in wheelchairs and some will walk.’

An 86-year-old resident of the nursing home, Sunay Talay, who has been living in the nursing home for 5 years, expressed, ‘There has never been such a beautiful event before. The fashion show went very well, I am very pleased. You know, during the pandemic, everywhere was very lifeless, life was very stagnant. We were very happy. I liked the young people very much. They are very lively and can appeal to people. I wish there were always such activities. We wore Republic era hats at the fashion show. For me, the Republic means being a civilized, cultured, and responsible individual.’

Tülin İnce, a 70-year-old retired high school principal who has been living in the nursing home for 3 years, stated, ‘I attended the fashion show with my dear friends. There were also people I didn’t know. Through this occasion, I got to know them as well. I also welcomed them. They gifted me my hat from the fashion show because they liked it very much. The theme of the fashion show was related to the Republic, and for me, the Republic means the world. It is something wonderful.’