Founded in 1947, Bilsar has become a leading figure in the world of fashion, boasting over 60 years of experience in the textile sector. Bilsar built its strategy on specializing in design and production of shirts. Turkey's foremost producer and exporter, Bilsar is producing 2 million shirts per year. With the opening of its 40.000 m2 production and logistics plant in Çorum in 1992, Bilsar joined the vanguard of shirt manufacturers. At the late 1990's, Bilsar evolved its growth strategy not just in production but also in the area of brand management. Currently Bilsar manages a broad portfolio of owned and licensed brands, continuously expanding its selection. Austin Reed, Ar Red, Bil's, Bil's Remix, Fred Perry, An Original Penguin, Muji are some of the brands managed by Bilsar in Turkey. With the aim of benefiting from the increased retail potential of its new brands, Bilsar entered the retail sector with several new store concepts. In addition to Austin Reed, Fred Perry and Muji flagship stores Bilsar also created one of the first lifestyle shopping stores 'Bilstore' in Istanbul and brought a new dimension to conventional shopping in Turkey. Bilsar headquarters are in the Tunel area of Beyoglu. With a front view of the historical Tunel Square and a rear view of Golden Horn, the Bilsar building is an example of the Art Nouveau style and has been renovated by the Aga Han award-winning architect Han Tumertekin. In addition to the financial and operational departments, there are showrooms within the building. Bilsar Cultural Center is located on the ground floor, where prestigious art and performance exhibitions take place. Aside from its operations in the fashion and design sectors, Bilsar is known for its support of contemporary art and theatre in Turkey and is a dedicated sponsor of artistic events and initiatives such as the world-known Istanbul Biennial, DOT Theatre Group and BAS. In addition to the 9th International Istanbul Biennial; the Afife Jale Award-winning 'Dotbilsarda: Vur / Yagmala / Yeniden' Project of Dot Theatre; 'Without Hintersinn' a parallel event of the 11th Istanbul Biennial which was a joint project with Slag Gallery of New York; and contemporary art shows of various towering art galleries are just a few examples of the activities hosted by Bilsar.