Forget Paris, Milan – for European couture, Athens is growing its reputation as a hub for accessible handmade clothes
- Athens’ star is rising on the high-fashion scene, with major international brands like Dior holding shows in the Greek capital and working with local talent
- Playing in the city’s favour, rents have stayed comparatively low and there has been an influx of skilled immigrants escaping conflict in the Middle East
Clothes tend to reflect the city in which they are made. This is particularly clear in Athens, where the colourful, extroverted designs of fashion icons such as Mary Katrantzou and Celia Kritharioti exude a sunniness and optimism that can feel difficult to find elsewhere in Europe.
Further east from the continent’s other fashion hubs – on streets where fruit-heavy orange trees dot the pavements and a bright sun heats the air even in the depths of January – are hundreds of boutiques run by independent designers intent on putting their city back on the style map.
“Athens is an increasingly interesting multicultural hub and artists from around the world are moving there and changing the momentum of the city,” says Vogue Greece editor-in-chief Thaleia Karafyllidou.
“The light, the energy, the good weather, the history and the culture of this city – along with the warmth of the Greeks – are just a few of the factors that make Athens so compelling.”
One stand-out brand is Ancient Greek Sandals, which helped create a global trend for beachy footwear that nods to the country’s Hellenic past.
“I always wanted to come home to Athens and make something inspired by the country I grew up in,” says co-founder Christina Martini, who started her career at Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga in Paris.