Istanbul is a great city for shopping. You will find all of the world's top fashion designers here. In addition, we have our own highly successful Turkish designers. Look out for local fashion designers’ collections around Nişantaşı, Bebek and the Çukurcuma area where my workshop is. There are also great options for antique lovers in Çukurcuma.

If you’re new to Istanbul you will want to see Sultanahmet Square, Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sophia. The Basilica Cistern, especially at night, is another amazing experience. The renovated Atatürk Cultural Centre is just steps away from my house and we were very happy to be reunited with it when it reopened. It is a unique place with its concerts, areas to eat and drink, cultural activities, special exhibitions and mini library.

I love the hammam experience, the traditional Turkish ritual. Raffles Spa and Hürrem Sultan Hammam, between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Museum, are authentic hammams worth visiting. And of course no trip to Istanbul is complete without a boat trip on the Bosphorus, listening to the stories about the historic mansions by the sea.

Over the years, I’ve come across a number of people in Istanbul who have made a lasting impression on me. Mercan Dede, with his music and ideas. My friend Demet Akbağ, who received an award at the Cannes Film Festival when Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s film Winter Sleep won the Palme d’Or. And the pianist Fazil Say is another Turkish artist whose talent has gone beyond the borders of the country. It is priceless to come across his concerts in Istanbul.

@chez_bo12