I recently watched a show about and Greeks that live abroad. I heard that “Greece doesn’t have a good brand name”. Our country may have financial difficulties the past few years, but I believe that as Greeks, we are trying to do our best in order create a good image abroad.
So, if someone asked you, “is there a well-known Greek Fashion Brand abroad?” your answer will probably be no. Still there are more than one. So I will show you some of the most famous Greek fashion brands that have managed to create a brand name beyond Greece and prove that the Greek temperament has nothing to do with the country’s economic crisis.
Celia Kritharioti
The Greek fashion designer Celia Kritharioti , couldn’t be out of this list as she is very succesful abroad as much she is in Greece. She is among the top six haute couture designers around the world. She works as a designer the past 25 years and she is the owner of the oldest Greek fashion house dated back to 1906. Her creations have been worn, besides the Greek celebrities, by famous Hollywood celebrities such as Naomi Campbell, Iman, Giselle Bundchen, Karolina Kurkova, Maria Manousos, Jenifer Lopez. Her name has reached the red carpet in the Oscars with Miss Universe 2012, Olivia Culpo. Recently she had her first appearance in Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture 2017.
Mary Katrantzou
Even though she studied Architecture at the Rhodes Island School of Design, U.S.A., fashion eventually won her. So, she moved to London to make her dream come true. Shortly after her studies at Central Saint Martins College of Art, she was given the opportunity to open the graduation fashion show, where she presented the trompe l’oeil dresses. All decorated with digital motifs and oversized jewelry made of metal and glass. Now she is called “the queen of prints”. In 2008 at London Fashion Week she released her first collection, which later came out to market. She immediately became the designer everyone needed to see her collection at LFW. Mary Katrantzou has dressed with her creations important fashion personalities and a lot more, such as the famous Italian editor and creative consultant of Vogue magazine in Japan, Anna Dello Russo, Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker etc
Sophia Kokosalaki
The Greek philologist that was fascinated by the fashion industry seems to have excelled abroad the past few years. Her creations are inspired by ancient Greek culture combined with modern elements. Her work is loved by fashion icons in England, Russia and Saudi Arabia. In 2004, Sofia Kokosalaki undertook the design of clothes for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games, but also the dress of the Icelandic singer Bjork, who became the center of attention. She has worked for a lot of known fashion houses such as Ruffo, Madeleine Vionnet, Staff International, but she always didn’t stay for long, as she wanted to focus on her own collections.
Tina Kalivas
The Greek-Australian costume designer became famous for her haute couture creations in the field of cinema. She was in charge of designing the costumes in the well-known films Last Knights, Die Another Day, Australia and Goemon. In 2010 she was nominated for the Best Costume Design at the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong. Tina Kalivas, in addition of having created her own brand in Australia, she worked with Kookai Australia and has been a designer for Sydney Hilton Hotel. The famous designer has a unique identity by combining three qualities that appear through her creations, her Greek origin, her studies in England and as a fashion designer based in Australia. Her creations have been worn by celebrities such as Rihanna, Amy Winehouse etc.
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