Could Turkey be stealing the spotlight as the next breeding ground for design talent? After Hakaan Yildirim’s meteoric rise from absolute unknown to ANDAM winner to Paris Fashion Week staple, it’s time now for Umit Benan’s star turn on the international stage. After winning the “Who Is On Next” Pitti Imagine award in Florence just two years ago, the whiskered one has been tapped to helm Trussardi 1911, following the departure of Milan Vukmirovic.

Benan might be just the man to bring a dose of whimsy to the historic, storied Trussardi line. His own collections take straightforward themes like investment bankers (fall 11) or Cuba (spring 10) and reinterprets them into playful yet wearable classics. Any designer who’s had both Gordon Gekko and Fidel Castro on his mood board is worth a shot. Benan’s first collection for Trussardi, menswear, will be shown in Milan on Sunday, but it’s likely he has even bigger plans up his baggy sleeve for womenswear later this year.