Rifat Ozbek is a Turkish fashion designer who was born in Istanbul into a wealthy family and grew up in a yali overlooking the Bosphorus. He entered the Liverpool School of Architecture and graduated in 1972. On leaving Liverpool, Ozbek moved to London, living in his parents' flat in Belgravia whilst studying fashion at Saint Martin's School of Art between 1974 and 1977. He became known for his exotic, ethnically inspired designs and was named British Designer of the Year in both 1988 and 1992. His style has been described as '...the artful mixing of unlikely patterns, shapes and ornamentation, along with bits and pieces borrowed from a global grab bag.' In 2010, Ozbek launched an interior design business called 'Yastik' which means 'pillow' in Turkish. An early commission were the interiors of Robin Birley's nightclub, 5 Hertford Street, which opened in 2012. Ozbek lives with his partner Erdal Karaman, splitting their time between London, Istanbul and Bodrum.