As a Thessaloniki-based oenologist who has worked for many years in wineries, Ioanna Ipodimatopoulou has, as she says, spent half her life talking about other people’s bottles. This year she decided to start talking about her own. What exactly does she mean?

One morning after throwing a wild party at her house, Ioanna woke up surrounded by bottles. ‘Think outside the box,’ she told herself. And so she began to make bottle-shaped bags. That is how IL Progetto Bottiglia was born. Her motto is ‘the bottle has acquired a zipper’ and her first sold out hit came with a minimal white bag based on a bottle of Pilsner beer. Of course it is no longer available as every series consists of only a few pieces which, once sold out, are not replenished.

Fashion inspired by everyday objects is always exciting and now, according to ILl Progetto Bottiglia, the hot new look is… extra virgin olive oil. With a decidedly retro aesthetic, Ipodimatopoulou’s new bag impersonates an olive oil bottle and is called E-litsa (pronounced ‘Eh-Leetsa’ – a play on words between e-xtra virgin oil and the common Greek name ‘Litsa’ which come together to make the Greek word for ‘little olive’).

Each E-litsa bag is handmade from a tough canvas which absorbs the colors of the design, and has a handle made from cotton ribbon. The design has been featured by the website favourite-design.com which awards designers from all over the world, and only a few pieces remain. But despite the demand Ipodimatopoulou is not, as yet, considering making additional bags. “I like making 100 bags for 100 special people,” she says.

At 30cms long, the E-litsa bag can easily be used to carry a phone, keys, wallet, makeup and other accessories. It works well together with a retro or boho look or with a simple pair of jeans. It is a bottle that doesn’t need a corkscrew, doesn’t break and which you don’t throw away when empty. Indeed it can last forever – as long as you don’t put it through a washing machine.