Page 38 - iGREECE_WTAAA 2024

to tiny artisanal workshops that handcraft handcrafted jewellery still burns strong
exquisite bespoke evening and speciality throughout Greece. Regions across the
footwear, you’ll be spoilt for choice when country—from the village of Stemnitsa
it comes to handmade shoes and sandals in the mountains of the Peloponnese to
in Greece-even if what you’re looking the city of Ioannina in Epirus, northwest-
for is a little bit… niche, such as the cre- ern Greece, and the island of Rhodes in
ations of Kogias Art, whose portfolio of the southeastern Aegean Sea-boast proud
traditional and historical Greek footwear silver- and goldsmithing traditions that go
includes wearable versions of the iconic back generations and are still practised by
Greek tsarouhi (the red pom-pom tipped dedicated artisans today. The Silversmith-
ceremonial shoe of the Greek Presidential ing Museum in Ioannina and the Folklore
Guard) handcrafted in their studio in the Museum of Stemnitsa are fantastic places
village of Kastania in Thessaly. to start exploring Greece’s local jewellery
making traditions.
Meanwhile, your next trip to Greece is
the perfect excuse to pick up a gorgeous As a result, Greece is today home to
new bag or handcrafted wallet from one a fabulously varied range of jewellery
of the many fabulous local brands, includ- styles and a vibrant contemporary
ing Callista, a women-run brand whose jewellery scene. From designers whose
handbags and accessories are handmade work is inspired by Greek culture and heri-
by skilled craftswomen in Athens, and tage—including Marianna Lemos, with her
HAK Studios, which draws inspiration recurrent traditional mati (evil eye) mo-
from the centuries-old fur making tradi- tifs, and Elli Lyraraki, a jewellery and foot-
tions of its founder’s hometown Kastoria wear designer known for her collections
to translate traditional craftsmanship into inspired by Minoan culture-to brands that
contemporary handcrafted pieces. favour more raw or wildly creative styles-
such as Noilence and Venyx-and from
Jewellery there to hole-in-the-wall ateliers all over

the country, wherever you find yourself
The right piece of jewellery can com- in Greece you’ll find plenty of opportuni-
plete and elevate any look and can ties to marvel at local talent and get your
sometimes be a look in its own right, hands on some marvellous one-of-a-kind
especially when it carries within it a mil- pieces crafted by skilled artisans.
lennia-old heritage of masterful silver-
and goldsmithing. Ancient Greeks loved Of course, Greece is also home to
their gold and some of the best examples numerous internationally acclaimed
of truly vintage pieces of jewellery can high-end designers such as Nikos Kou-
be seen today at the National Archaeo- lis, Yannis Sergakis, and Christina Soubli,
logical Museum in Athens, which houses whose pieces are often seen on celebri-
the breathtaking finds from the Bronze ties and red carpets worldwide, as well as
Age royal tombs at Mycenae as well as a Katerina Makriyianni, who famously col-
permanent jewellery exhibit, with pieces laborated with Christian Louboutin for the
spanning the period from the Geometric Capsule Greekaba collection. We’d be re-
to the Roman times. miss not to mention the late legendary Ili-
as Lalaounis, a pioneer of Greek jewelery
The passion for creating exquisite and internationally renowned goldsmith,

i GR E E C E TR A V E L