The Hellenic Fashion Designers Council at the 31st Athens Fashion Week
The Athens Conservatory, a historic venue that many Greek designers hold close to their heart for its Bauhaus architecture, hosted the 31st Athens Exclusive Designers Week on November 13-16, 2022. The Hellenic Fashion Designers Council made its mark with 5 of its members, namely Dassios, Ioanna Kourbella, Kathy Heyndels, Parthenis and Vassilis Zoulias showcasing their collections.
We Are Family
Vassilis Zoulias, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his brand, showed a collection inspired by the maximalism of the ’90s, where fluo orange, neon green and fuchsia colors were seen alongside oversized pied de poule, adding vibrancy to men’s jackets, all-day pajamas, shorts, chic kaftans and light dresses, in printed, polka dot and leopard patterns. Multicolored plexiglass jewelry made by Pericles Kondylatos completed the looks, while the title of the show, We Are Family, was incarnated by the appearance of Vicky Kaya with her mother Alexandra, Christina Politis with her mother Yakinthi, Natalia Dragoumi with her daughter Cleo, Genevieve Majari with her daughter Rosalia Karydis, Spyros Poros with his daughter Hera, as well as many other dear friends of the designer.
Games
Kathy Heyndels presented the SS 23 collection entitled Games, a play of colors, words, materials and sensations. Pastel shades featured alongside a more intense, happy and warm palette, as well as shades of white, black, khaki and ecru, in crepe, gabardine, poplin and leather, in dresses and jackets with bold openings and cut outs. Marios Togos enriched the Games collection with a surprising series that embraced streetwear graffiti where slogans, concepts and emotions featured on oversized outfits, hoodies, cargo pants as well as simple jackets and trousers.
Colorama
Parthenis presented an ode to optimism in the COLORAMA collection where dusty pale shades met black and white in a catwalk dance of sheer fabrics, while tie-dye prints and devoré stripes were highlighted by mineral blues, olive greens, elevated raspberries, and dusty roses. Set to the sounds of music producer dj Die Arkitekt, we saw the designer’s favorite draping and body-con pieces juxtaposed with relaxed figures and asymmetric key pieces, true to Parthenis’ style over the years. From flowy satins, wrinkled viscose and crisp poplins, to eco-friendly bamboo terry, modal, jersey and gabardine, all the fabrics of the season were embodied here on tunics and column dresses, slouchy or cropped pants and wrap tops, open front cardigans, comfy playsuits and light bomber jackets.
Opulence
The third day of the shows opened with designer Ioanna Kourbela’s Opulence FW 22 Haute Couture collection showcasing hand-crafted creations made of precious materials such as silk organza and satin, delicate laces and tulles which all came to life in the colors of the Spectrum. Each of the designer’s ideas revolved around a specific theme, motivated by memories and causes, characterized by the simplicity of substantial design. Danae Nielsen’s live performance created the ideal atmosphere for Kourbela’s creations.
It’s show time, Folks
On the same day, Dimitris Dassios showed his It’s show time Folks, SS 23 collection, that was all about the it items that have marked the talented designer’s creative path: Signature denim jackets, linen kaftans printed with the works of Greek artists, as well as glamorous couture evening wear. At the end of the show, which was rapturously applauded, the designer walked the catwalk with the sculptor Della Rounick.