Rifat Ozbek Turkish: Rıfat Özbek (born 1953) is a Turkish-born fashion designer, known for his exotic, ethnically-inspired outfits. Born in Istanbul in 1953, Özbek moved to Great Britain in 1970 in order to study architecture, and while there discovered his interest in fashion design. In 1976 he graduated with honours from St Martin's School of Art in London. He set up his own company in 1984. He has also designed for the seminal 1970s designer Walter Albini and for the chain store Monsoon. His work has been featured in Cornucopia, issue 6.
His flair and style were soon acknowledged by the press and the most important international fashion retailers. Today his collections have gained worldwide approval and he has acquired a distinguished and celebrated following.
Mysterious and reserved, Rifat Ozbek is highly protective of his privacy. His rapid rise to fame has produced a popularity from which he shrinks, preferring a simple lifestyle which is highly unusual in the glamorous world of fashion design.
