She says, “evil eye”, she knocks on the wood as a superstition.. She expresses her so well with a Turkish idiom in the middle of an English sentence.. And she does this right at the very appropriate point and surprises us. It’s impossible not to appreciate her control over Turkish and language and the way she uses it in the daily spoken language since she’s not a native by any means and definitely from a different culture. As we all know –as Turksh people- we sympathize the way foreigners try to speak Turkish and yet, we all try to teach them new words. What is so obvious about Chloe is, she has definitely learned Turkish directly from Serdar Ortaç.
Regarding her beauty, there’s no word to be said about her pure beauty. And in addition to that; her wisdom, the way she expresses herself and her cooking skills on top of all.. Chloe deserves a big applause from us.
We know you’re from Ireland. How old were you when you first came to Turkey?
I was then 19, when I first came.
What were you doing in Ireland, before you came? Modelling?
I was doing the same thing actually, before I came here. I was just 14 when I had first started modelling. I was both going to school and modelling. After I graduated from school, I went to Paris and started working in Europe. It wasn’t only modelling actually; I was also having roles in TV commercials and we had even shooted a sbort film. And after I came to Turkey, I continued the same way.
As far as we see, you have always wanted to be on stage and in the limelights of people, haven’t you?
Since I was young, that’s all I wanted to be a business woman but at the same time, have a career in the fashion industry.
Right now, most of your time is occupied with fashion and I know that you’ve moved into fields like fashion designing. Is it true?
Last year I started to design swimwears of my own brand. And for my first collection, I wanted to have a small collection because I didn’t want to make so many things since I believe you have to keep it limited when you first begin. But in my head, I’m always planning about the next steps like what I’m gonna do after. And this year I’m gonna add hopefully bags, sun glasses, beach accessories and other outfits.
What’s the name of your brand?
With my bikini collection, I started with the name MYLK SWIMWEAR.
Are you planning to go retailing in stores or open your own?
Actually at the moment, I do not want to open one store of my own because for my job, I’ve to travel a lot and I want to be focused on something if I’m doing it. But right now I don’t have the time to be in the store all the time. Therefore I’m thinking to sell my products from other people’s stores or maybe sell them from one big brand and also through internet sales. But of coıurse at the end of the day, I’m gonna open my own.
As fas as we know, you’re doing modelling all round the world. Are you a well-known model in the world?
At the moment, I’ve just started to work in the States so I’m building my name there because you’ve to start from somewhere. It doesn’t just happen. And honestly, there are so many models in this big competition and becoming a well-known model is the goal at the end.
So does this mean you’re wishing to shape all your career on modelling?
No, not just modelling. I also want to do acting since my small ages.And modelling is also a way of acting since when you’re doing a photo shooting, you take on a role and sometimes it may not be your own style there.
Have you received any offers for acting in Turkey?
Yeah, actually lots of offers. I made one movie last year. I also receive lots of offers for TV serials. I really wanna play in someting but I do not want to accept the role just because the role came. I want to accept the one which somewhat suits the kind of character I wanna be in and also first of all I have to be perfect in Turkish.
How do you feel and act and what is your mood like generally in your daily life? Good humored, funny, introverted, .. etc.
I think I’m very positive. I always try to be happy with everything. I wouldn’t say I’m introverted but I definitely am a private person. I do not share all of my stories, but only to my close people. For instance, my close friends know they can tell me anything and I will keep them to myself and not share with anyone else.
Probably this is mainly what you cannot get along with Serdar, isn’t it?
Yes, I’m more filtered and he is not. But this is his character and people love him for this. Before, I used to get angryand blame him for telling everthing but people like him like this so now I just say okay.. In the end, I accepted him the way he is.
Are Irish women exceptionally beautiful? What I mean is, in Turkey you stand out with your beauty and attract attention. How about Irish standards?
First of all, I think the women in Turkey are really beautiful. But in Ireland, we are very different. We are very whiteskinned and yet I don’t look like a typical Irish person, neither my family does. No one in my family has white skin and red hair etc.
When had you first realized your beauty and thought that you could become a model?
Actually the reason why I became a model was more because for my age at that time I was so tall. I grew so tall so fast and that’s more the reason everybody said you should be a model because I was so skinny and I was so tall. And it was the most logical choice. I had always wantd to be in the fashion industry or acting. I knew I wanted to do something of this kind but I never looked in the mirror and said, “Oh my God, I’m so beautiful I’ve to be a model”.
Is it difficult to be a beautiful woman?
I don’t look at myself as a beautiful woman. You know, when you look at somebody and say, “Wow she’s very beautiful”; actually inside she probably has so many problems with herself. Before I started modelling, I didn’t have a fully trust in myself until somebody chose me to be in a modelling show on TV and it was when my confidence came.
Do you have special nutirtion habits, special cares you apply to yourself? And any small beauty tips you can share with women since summer has come?
I’m gonna say something and probably no one will believe bıut my biggest beauty secret is “drinking water”. I know it’s so simple for many but trust me, actually I don’t like drinking water that much but even I push myself to drink 3.5 litres every day. I know it may sound too much but it’s worth. Last week, I was going to have a photo shooting and I wasn’t totally ready for it. Then I made juice detoxing for two days I only had vegetable and fruit juices for two days. And at the same time, I drank 3.5 liters of water a day and on the third day, I only ate grilled vegebles. And finally at the end everbody said, “Oh my God, Chloe what did you do to your skin?” It was extremely shining. But it was only because I drank so much water. And I swear, it’s my biggest hint. Trust me and do it because especially in summer, when your skin dries out, you even start to look older. One other thing I’ve to tell; sometimes my skin goes bad due to temperature changes so in my house I have an aloe vera plant. Instead of buying several creams, I bought the plant. I just cut the stalk and use the jelly that comes out all over. I use it everywhere on my skin, and my face as well.
How frequently can we use this?
Whenever you want, you can use it. I usually put it before I go to bed and I also use it for my hair and rub deeply. It’s so natural andone piece of stalk lasts so long because there’s so much jel in it. Espcially if you get sun burn in summer, instead of any cream, use aloe vera.
Do you miss your country? You were very young when you got out of your country. How had your family reacted to your decision of –I don’t want to express it this way, but since it’s the reality, I shall ask- getting married to a man much older than you are and in Turkey? In total, how did they feel about all these? Consequently, are you happy in Turkey?
First of all, my family and I are so close. My mom is like my sister and my best friend because when I was born, she was so young, which means my parents and I, we grew up together. My father was also very young. And now I have a 7-years old sister and a 3-years old brother. I’m so close to my family so it’s so difficult to be away from them. It doesn’t get any easier. I love Turkey and it’s my home now but it’s so difficult to be away from them all the time and miss everyhing about them. Before I moved to Turkey, I always knew I was gonna leave Ireland anyway and I was never gonna stay there. I would either gonna move to Europe or America or somewhere but I would not gonna live there. So when I decided to move here, I don’t think my family was shocked because they also always knew she was gonna go somewhere.When I first started to be with Serdar, he started off like a friend to me. So when I introduced him to my mom, we weren’t like “together” together but the “age” thing sounded more of a big deal on the phone like when you tell them “don’t be shocked because he is older than me”. But when they met him and saw us together, it was just normal. Nobody said anything after that. Maybe before my father met Serdar –I don’t know actually because he’s never rude, he never said anything- maybe he had some negative ides in his own head, but on the first day they met each other, they get along so well like friends, so everything worked out so good.
What kind of a place is Istanbul for you?
I think Istanbul is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I love living here.
Where to be in Istanbul makes you feel good? When you want to escape, when you wanna be on your own or when you want to listen to your inner voice.. etc.
On most days, especially if I’m stressed about something; I always walk. I do the same walk every day from my house to Bebek. And Bebek is like my area. I meet with my friends there, I have coffee, but that walk along the Bosphorus from Istinye to Bebek, it makes me feel so good.
Do you have a social environment in Turkey? Friends you gather up, drink coffee or whatever..
Yes, of course. I have Turkish friends also, but mostly foreign friends. I don’t go out to parties. The most I go to is dinners with Serdar, or cinema, coffee but I’m not going to parties or the night life.
What are your borders? Or let’s say, your “red lines”?
If you make me angry, I will directly tell you. I don’t keep it to myself or tell anyone else. The people who act this way, make me angry. People talking behind or telling stories which they don’t know true or not, and gossipping.
Does that mean Serdar’s fans are bothering you quite a lot? You know there have been many words about your marriage as to your breaking up etc.. or similar abusive approaches.. and do you think they have accepted you to the heart?
I think they did. Some of them do, in fact lots of them do. I’m so lucky that lots of his fans also love me. And I get lots of nice messages. But of course, among those messages, there happens to be some bad messages as well. I just try to block and I don’t read and I don’t give answers because I don’t want to let it affect me too much. People form an image in their heads just because of what they see in Instagram and they think they know who I am But I choose what I put on Instagram. You cannot know my life just because of the photo you see there. And in my Instagram, I started to use it mostly for my job,and not my personal life because I don’t wanna open my personal life out to criticism. All these negative approaches bring bad eyes and I so much believe in bad energy. And I don’t want somebody else’s negative energy on me.
Are there any totems and/or superstitious beliefs?
Yes, so many. I’m scared as if I say something negative, it will happen. We shouldn’t call out for evil spirits, we shouldn’t call them. That’s also why I don’t like to share so many personal photos is because I’m afraid of “nazar”, the evil eye.
What do you criticise yourself the most about?
I eat too much. I don’t have a control over myself. If you put a piece of dessert in front of me, I can’t let it sit there. I have to eat it.
Although I’m not choosing to build up this interview on Serdar Ortaç by any means, he is a very popular and significant figüre in this country and yet, we all grew up with him honestly. And you are his wife. So I still need to ask how you feel for him? Is it love? Is it affection? Is it passion? Or admiration? What is it? And with which feeling had this relation first begun?
The first time I saw him, I knew he had a very strong character as a person. The first time I met him, he was doing a photo shooting for his album cover and although it was obvious that he was a singer, I didn’t know who he was. And at that first time, of course I didn’t think that I was gonna date him or marry him primarily because I didn’t want any relationship at that time sinceI was here for my job. But we started to go for dinners, for coffees and we started out as friends and it was definitely his character that I fell in love with first. The way he is. He is so confident and also funny, but never snobbish. There’s such a thing in him that anyone who meets him can see how charismatic he is and that was what drew me to him first. We were like really good friends.
Is being able to be good friends the most crucial factor in a relationship?
If you have no friendship in a relationship, then you have nothing. For instance, if I have something to tell -you know you call your best friend- for me, Serdar is the first person I call. And if you don’t have this in your relationship, then you have nothing. You can meet someone who is so handsome or it doesn’t matter the age, how you look; but at the end if there’s nothing to share, it doesn’t matter than. Also when people say there’s a big age difference, or you’re so much taller than him; in the scale of life, none of these are important. Because at the end of the day, I have so many things I can share with him.
Have you been able to adopt yourself to the traditional Turkish family structure? You also have a mother-in-law. Are you able to get used to all these?
I don’t think we have to out labels to our families or people. Like typical Turkish or typical Irish or else..But still, I got used to the traditions and Turkish culture. But who knows what’s gonna when our children will be born, maybe they will go to school somewhere else. Or maybe when they grow up, they’re gonna leave home like I did. I just want my family to be open-minded and modern. That’s all is important to me. And my mother-iniaw is so wonderful, she never tries to get involved in anything. I’m so lıucky and we get along so well. She never judges me, she never says anything like when is the baby, she never pushes me to do anything and we really have a very good relatonship.
Since this is a kitchen chatting, I shall ask; How do you get along with kitchen work? Do you cook at home? And let me ask in particular, do you cook for Serdar?
I love to eat Turkish food but I cannot cook it. Because if I cook it, then I’ll eat it. Before I used to cook lots of cakes and cookies, and I was always baking but I was eating all of them all the time. But now I cannot because of my job. Since I have no control over myself, when I go in the kitchen I only cook healthy stuff. And when I travel to different countries, I try to learn their healthy dishes as well. And I also try to make Serdar eat the same healthy stuff with me.
