Zacharias: Ancient Greek Art Meets Hipster Chic

The brand offers a wry take on ancient Greek motifs, playfully combining ancient artworks with pop-art design.


An ancient clay pot housed today in the Louvre depicts Ganymede (‘the loveliest born of the race of mortals’ – Homer) with his arm outstretched holding a rooster. In ancient times the birds were traditionally given by lovers to the objects of their affection. Ganymede had received his rooster from his abductor, Zeus.

A leather bag created by the brand ‘Zacharias’ depicts an almost identical scene, only in place of the rooster Ganymede is now holding a smartphone perfectly angled for a selfie.

 

Behind the Zacharias brand are Greek sculptor Zacharias and Spanish art director Alejandro who have created a range of leather and other accessories featuring wry takes on famous ancient artworks.

Often the changes are comic but subtle: it is only when one takes a closer look that one notices that Dionysus is in heels, or robes have been replaced with lapels. In other pieces the reproductions are unchanged, the pop-art aspect coming through ancient Greek motifs being displayed on colorful t-shirts, cushions or drink coasters.

All of the pieces of the  Ι <3 Ancient Greece” line are manufactured in a loft in central Athens. The pair purchase leather from a Cretan supplier and transfer the prints using a process they learnt via Youtube. Active in Greece for the past three years, they founded their company in Madrid after a trip to the supermarket gave them the idea of creating hand-printed t-shirts.

 

Today Zacharias offers a range of items with their signature designs, including briefcases, t-shirts, notebooks, tote-bags, coasters and more in many shops throughout Greece.



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