Although he doesn't yet sell so much as a T-shirt in Istanbul, the city has adopted him as its own. He's happy to be their golden boy. Whenever he goes he makes sure he pays a visit to Mete and Nadire Goktug, an architect couple who have lovingly restored the ruin of an old British jail and turned the ground and first floors into a teashop. The top floor has a studio room with a wall of glass on one side. Occasionally, they entertain there, and sometimes spend the night, although they actually live somewhere else.
Food is one of the designer's favourite subjects.
They are like Turkish dim-sum, little parcels of meat or potato. Sure enough, the steaming bowl of potato man-ti is delicious. Nadire will read your fortune after you've finished with your tiny cup of strong, black Turkish coffee. I have a belief that if you don't do something in a certain way, things won't be right. It is unexpected to hear Chalayan talk of such things as superstition.