Levent Penso

LeventPenso

Born in Istanbul in 1953, he graduated from Saint Michel High School and then began studying economics. However, he left his economics studies unfinished and went to Oxford to continue education. After returning a year later, he joined the family-owned Pakiş Plastik, which produced outsourced manufacturing for car factories. Here, they designed automobile accessories, parts, and even redesigned cars in a timeless fashion. In 1985, pursuing his biggest hobby, interior design, and decoration, he opened his own office. They also transformed the family's 5,000 square meter plastic factory in Çağlayan into a store under the "Home Store" brand. They offered various products to customers, ranging from furniture to accessories, fabrics to wallpaper, dried flowers to souvenirs. They manufactured the products they designed in a factory established in a 4,000 square meter adjacent building. This factory housed various departments such as furniture, finishing, sculpture, painting, wrought iron and metalwork, upholstery accessories and furniture, wood carving, and marquetry, employing a team of 250 people including architects, artists, and furniture makers. They introduced many imported products to the Turkish market for the first time and collaborated on the interior design of prominent families' homes and workplaces. In 1994, they launched a small-town-style store and restaurant in Akmerkez. From 1995 to 1999, they represented brands such as Mango, Massimo Dutti, Adolfo Dominguez, Sasch, Kookai, and Laura Ashley. They also started producing under the Khamsin and Cute&Wild brands in Turkey and Italy to be sold in Home Store stores. In 2007, they handed over Home Store. From 2007 to 2015, they established several restaurants, including Clementine, Sharma, and Grey, in various locations, all designed and decorated by themselves. Levent Penso Architecture, for over 30 years, has been engaged in architectural and interior design, concept consultancy, furniture design, restaurant design and consultancy, fashion design, car design, and yacht interior design. In 2016, they founded a jewelry brand called Penso.