Rifat Özbek : an underrated talent in fashion
- kikokurative
- Feb 24
- 3 min read
An Icon of the 1990s
Rifat Özbek… This name might not ring a bell, but London in the 1990s remembers it well. Top models walked his runway, from Kate Moss to Naomi Campbell, and André Leon Talley never failed to praise his work.
André Leon Talley and Rifat Ozbek after Ozbek's SS1996 Show
Much like Neil Barrett, whose name is rarely mentioned despite remarkable work, Rifat Özbek deserves a closer look. Some of his shows remain simply extraordinary.
Origins and Education
Born in 1953 in Istanbul into a wealthy and cultured family, Rifat Özbek left Turkey for his studies and enrolled at Central Saint Martins, one of London’s most prestigious fashion schools.
He founded his brand Ozbek in 1984, based in London, and presented his collections in Milan, New York, and later Paris.
Very quickly, he became a major figure in London fashion. Icons such as Diana, Princess of Wales, and Madonna regularly wore his creations. The immediate success of his collections remains somewhat mysterious, but the impact was undeniable.
An Eclectic and Bold Style
At a Rifat Özbek show, boredom simply doesn’t exist : colors, patterns, and shapes explode in every direction. The designer drew inspiration both from his native Turkey and from around the world, blending influences from the Far East, Africa, and the Americas with classic Western silhouettes.
You might think I’m stretching it a bit, but the enormous influence he draws from his homeland, with many references to traditional Turkish folk costumes, reminds me of what Kiko Kostadinov does by incorporating numerous references to traditional Bulgarian clothing in his collections.
He popularized an “ethnic chic” style, marked by embroidery, tassels, and bright colors such as turquoise and fuchsia, breaking away from the strict fashion rules of the 1980s.
Rifat Özbek Fall 1998
Inspired by ornamentation and world cultures, from Tibet to Native Americans, Özbek mixed styles, for example layering a masculine coat over a feminine evening gown. With him, sobriety and minimalism gave way to a richness of patterns and colors.
Fall 1996 : A Sensational Show
My first encounter with his work was the Fall 1996 show, featuring an incredible outfit worn by Kate Moss.
This collection had a unique mix of punk, tribal, and chic, with explosive patterns and colors alongside entirely black looks.
Everything was wearable, and the cuts were flawless, demonstrating the full extent of Özbek’s talent.
Rifat Özbek Fall 1996
Why He Remains Relatively Unknown
So why does Rifat Özbek remain a rarely mentioned name in fashion discussions ?
If you weren’t immersed in London’s fashion scene in the 1990s, it’s hard to know him. Özbek ceased his activities in the early 2000s, at a time when the fashion world was changing drastically.
Rifat Özbek Fall 1993
Major groups like LVMH and Kering became multinational and began acquiring independent fashion houses on a large scale. This market concentration favored empires, and many independent brands struggled to compete, including Rifat Özbek’s.
At the same time, fashion shifted toward a more corporate minimalism and a highly calibrated sexiness, while Özbek remained true to his multicultural, spiritual, and artisanal style. Less “mainstream,” his work became less visible in this new context.
Rifat Özbek SS 1995
Gradual Withdrawal and a New Life
The brand did not go bankrupt, but around 1999–2000, Rifat Özbek ended his runway shows and gradually closed his brand. He left London for Turkey, settling in the Bodrum region, and stepped away from the fashion system to focus on interior design, local craftsmanship, and a more introspective life.
Between 2004 and 2008, he contributed as a designer for other houses, including Pollini. At the same time, he launched Yastik, a decorative cushion brand developed from 2005, which allowed him to reinvent his creativity outside the runway.
After this career shift, he largely settled in Turkey, opening stores related to his new venture.
Today, Rifat Özbek continues his projects in design and craftsmanship. His withdrawal was neither a scandal nor a spectacular fall, but rather a quiet retreat, marked by the continuation of his creativity in other fields.
Despite his absence from the contemporary fashion circuit, his eclectic, bold, and multicultural style remains an inspiration for designers and fashion enthusiasts.
Comments