Athens Fashion Week: The Wrap-Up

Where else in the world do you still have summer in October, complete with mosquitoes and bathing suits worn barefoot on the catwalk, a bouzouki remix playing in the background, mobile phones used as flashlights, purple hair and clogs worn with a Kelly bag, and a man in a suit and black high heels, probably Christian Louboutin, with a red fan to go with the look? 

This was fashion Made in Greece, Greek prêt-a-porter for Spring/Summer 2017. There was a new sense of excitement and giddiness, experiment and play, creativity and openness. Greek designers seemed to have real-life commercial instincts in mind more than runway theatrics. Now, they were saying, is not the time to simply impress. Now is the perfect time to rediscover treasures from the past as main references. History, heritage, culture are key words. And of course, evening wear, wedding gowns, black lace, they all made an entrance in the country that never sleeps.

Twenty Fashion Weeks. And counting. While celebrating 10 years of fashion, Athens Xclusive Designers Week found a new home in the heart of Athens, at the Zappeion Megaron. From the 21st to the 24th of October, Athens Fashion Week revealed talented makeup artists, designers, hairdressers, models and stylists, brought into the limelight in an attempt to support Greek fashion globally, applaud the effort, the positive energy and every little step of the colorful journey.

I remember the first Fashion Week, with fewer designers but with popular imported names and legendary fashion houses like Vivienne Westwood, Krizia and Emanuel Ungaro on hand in order to promote the event. And how about today? One of the strongest moments of the 20th Athens Xclusive Designers Week was the Vassilis Emmanuel Zoulias Demi-Couture show. The muse of the talented Greek designer (who used to work as a fashion editor) was the Baroness Fiona von Thyssen, “a woman of style, substance and beyond,” sitting in the front row. Jewelry from Pericles Kondylatos that featured butterflies and other insects transformed couture dresses into fairytale pieces that every little (or bigger) girl would want to have in her closet. Cocktail dresses, silk florals, delicate lace, precious brocades, long gowns (inspired by Fiona von Thyssen), handmade tie-dye gloves all appeared to the perfect soundtrack, Ravel’s Bolero, and gave us every reason to feel proud of a designer who loves women, knows what men want us to wear, and can teach us what the ‘50s and the ‘60s were all about. With a modern twist, and accessories with semi-precious stones for modern Cinderellas. And Fionas.

And then there was .Lak by Lakis Gavalas, with a completely different concept, “2yatrue”, a Greek expression that’s used to call someone crazy. The eccentric designer and his team presented a sterile catwalk show with an ambulance and red lights. Cynicism, humor, hidden messages for the Greece of today, all in a presentation of easy-to-wear clothes for men and women who go to the gym, travel and see their shrinks often.

Another Greece was highlighted in the presentation of The Artians, Konstantina Kampisopoulou and Sofia Vayena, with the Sayades Collection, traditional Greek costumes from the turn of the last century. Greek summer, nice prints, white dresses and matching bags with kaftans. Nassos Ntotsikas, inspired by the infinite possibilities presented by knitwear, gave life to “Knit Chemistry” with ethereal, knit metallics and drapes in gold, silver and bronze while Vlassi Holeva made a comeback, rebranding AVH as a more commercial, value-for-money collection with girly dresses, all while staying true to the body-conscious designs that brought him red-carpet moments with celebrities wearing Vlassi Holeva at the Oscars and the Cannes Film Festival.

Tassos Mitropoulos showed tight dresses, lace and leather, using embroidery and hand-painted surfaces combining unconventional and controversial materials. Ocean Blue, by Marcia Thrasyvoulou from Cyprus, played with bathing suits with matching kaftans; animal prints; and crisp black and white 50s bikinis. Rita Pateroni, having recently opened a boutique in Doha, was here to launch see-through clothes, neo-romantic designs and even boots, backed by her motto: “Life is short, buy the shoes.”

Kathy Heyndels & Giannetos Hand Made came up with a Dark Rose collection and used actors as models for the house, even bringing out the Greek Kim Kardashian for the finale. Dimitrios Ordoulidis, winner of the New Designers Award, launched oversized collars, uniforms and wearable clothes, in his Metatron collection. Olga Karaververi presented evening gowns, wedding gowns and Lolita dresses, based on the “Amelie” soundtrack, while Maison Faliakos, Loukia Kyriakou, Panos Apergis visualized the Greek summer of 2017 with beads, light and air.

Evelyn, Esther, Evangelia and Andressa were just some of the models… How about the celebrities on the front row? TV presenters, singers, DJs, newscasters, fashion icons, photographers, bloggers, politicians and choreographers were all there… Nobody complains anymore. We have to stick together. For the next show, the next challenge, next summer. And then next winter. The show must go on. Learning new Greek words and expressions. Tou yiatrou (2yatrue)? Not really. Fingers crossed, healthier than ever.