Rifat Ozbek ( tr, Rıfat Özbek, ; born 1953) is a Turkish-born fashion designer, known for his exotic, ethnically-inspired outfits. He was named

British Designer of the Year The Fashion Awards, known as the British Fashion Awards until 2016, is an annual ceremony established in the United Kingdom in 1989 to showcase both British and international individuals and businesses who have made the most outstanding contribu ...

in 1988 and 1992.

Biography

Ozbek was born in

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

, Turkey and grew up in a ''

yalı A yalı ( tr, yalı, from Greek ''yialí'' (mod. ''yialós''), literally "seashore, beach") is a house or mansion built right on the waterside (almost exclusively seaside, particularly on the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul) and usually built with ...

'' on the

Bosphorus The Bosporus Strait (; grc, Βόσπορος ; tr, İstanbul Boğazı 'Istanbul strait', colloquially ''Boğaz'') or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern Tu ...

. He came to the UK to study architecture at the

University of Liverpool , mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning , established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...

in 1970, graduating in 1972. He then lived in his parents' flat in

Belgravia Belgravia () is a Districts of London, district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' Tudor Period, during the ...

while studying fashion at

Saint Martin's School of Art Saint Martin's School of Art was an art college in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1854, initially under the aegis of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Saint Martin's became part of t ...

from 1974 to 1977. After graduating in 1977, Ozbek went to Italy where he worked in Milan between 1978 and 1980, then in London with

Monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...

. In 1984 he established his own company, Ozbek, and began to show his yearly collections in Milan and New York City, and more recently, in Paris. In 1987 the production of his studio line, Future Ozbek, was licensed to Aeffe SpA, in Italy, and his notoriety continued to grow. By 1995, he had launched his own perfume called "Ozbek", and later a second, "Ozbek 1001". The fall 1999/spring 2000 collections of many designers reflected the very aesthetic that Ozbek valued for over a decade—the artful mixing of unlikely patterns, shapes, and ornamentation, along with bits and pieces borrowed from a global grab bag. In 2010, Ozbek launched a new business called "Yastik", which means "pillow" in Turkish, and opened his first London store. Özbek was an interior designer for Robin Birley's new nightclub, 5 Hertford Street, which opened in 2012. He lives between London, Istanbul and Bodrum, where he resides with his partner Erdal Karaman.

Style

Ozbek is inspired by adornment. He is an observer of culture and subculture, from Tibetan to American Indian, and his interest in decoration is evident in his ornamental clothing. He gained notoriety by combining the decorative symbols and shapes of diverse cultures, such as the Far East, Africa, and his native Turkey, with the classic silhouettes of the West. Ozbek created eclectic clothing which encouraged the urban consumer to embrace "ethnic chic". His use of embroidery, tassels, and vivid colors like turquoise and fuchsia was completely at odds with 1980s power dressing; nevertheless, his antifashion approach to modern dressing received quite a bit of attention from those who appreciated the departure from sharp-edged suiting. Ozbek's designs reflected both club scene and New Age influences, when in 1990, he made clear his faith in spiritualism by presenting an all-white collection. His popularity continued throughout the 1990s as he continued his investigation of culture and subculture, taking street fashion to the runway with the addition of baseball caps covered with sequins.

Awards

*1986: '' Woman Magazine'' Designer Award *1988:

*1989: British Glamour Award *1992:

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ozbek, Rifat Living people 1953 births Turkish fashion designers Turkish emigrants to the United Kingdom Turkish artists British artists British fashion designers Alumni of Saint Martin's School of Art LGBT artists from Turkey LGBT people from England LGBT fashion designers