Costume designer Peni (Persephoni) Giannaki and her husband, Greek Australian fashion photographer Bill Georgoussis, have combined their love for architecture and fashion to constitute the world of Athens-based label Persephoni.
Peni studied set and costume design but she has always been in love with fashion. She always thought it was a matter of time before she started transforming all the theatrical costumes and props she was making into wearable, everyday, fashion accessories.
“I studied set and costume design at the National School of Fine Arts, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and completed my masters in art at Wimbledon College of Arts, London,” she says.
“When I returned to Greece I worked as a set and costume designer for a while, until I met my husband and we set up the brand together.”
Melbourne-born Bill Georgoussis left Down Under after completing his Bachelor of Arts degree to chase a career in fashion photography, starting with Spain, Milan, Paris and New York and ending up in London, his home for ten years.
Georgoussis became Sophia Kokosalaki’s artistic director, putting together her fashion shows and radical editorials for nearly a decade, before meeting his wife and moving to Athens.
Persephoni is characterised by its own innovative and geometrical treatment of volume and texture, combining stainless steel with leather and other soft materials to create minimal yet astounding accessories.
“The concept of Persephoni is rooted in a clear juxtaposition of contrasts,” Peni Giannaki tells Neos Kosmos.
“The hardness of steel against the softness of the leather, past vintage influences against present sharpness of style, cold solid reflection of metal versus warm leather or fur touches.”
The duo uses its love for geometry to generate clear forms and structure. Proportion and shape are always well-thought out and transmitted via a unique visual language into a three-dimensional design presence.
“Our designs are simple and elegant, with a twist that surprise the eye,” Peni says.
“The Persephoni brand manages a timeless use and unique authenticity that can be adjustable to many styles.”
Their new collection, ‘Embossed’, is all about textures and clean cuts. The sharpness of stainless steel meets the relief of crocodile effect and the smooth touch of cow hide. The shapes of the bags vary from round, hemispheric and semicircular to square and rectangular. Colour-wise, the palette of the collection includes shades of olive oil, burgundy, charcoal and the all-time favourite, black.
Persephoni manages to turn visual and conceptual connections between diverse objects and forms into state-of-the-art designer accessories, adored by glossy magazines and fashionistas all over the world.
Shirley Manson, Emma Miller and Sussie Lau have all donned her bags, along with celebrity models Lara Stone, Arizona Muse, Coco Rocha and Catherine McNeil.
The literalism of the shapes does not affect their wearability or utilitarian value.
Some of the bags embrace the principles of mechanics and motion, bringing together influences of the Bauhaus, De Stijl and Art Deco movements in a Modernist, sometimes Japanese and Swedish ablative sense.
The Persephoni brand, however, does not have a national identity. “There is definitely a movement that is coming out of Greece, but it does not have a cohesive style,” Peni explains.
“We proudly produce everything in Greece; all the materials are Greek and are hand-welded and hand-finished by Greek manufacturers.”
At the moment Peni and Bill are preparing their next Fall-Winter collection, which will come a bit earlier this season just in time to explore the Australian market.
“We are planning to visit Grandma Voula and Auntie Gina in Melbourne,” the designer enthuses.
“Our little daughter Ioanna is counting the days for this trip. So are we!”
All images courtesy of Bill Georgoussis. For more information head to www.persephoni.com
Selling points: Browns London, Opening Ceremony Japan, Number4 Kuwait, H.Lorenzo Los Angeles, Antonioli Milan, Assembly New York, Luisaviaroma.
* Publications: Vogue Paris (photographer David Sims/stylist Beat Bolliger), Vogue Russia (photographer Hedi Slimane/stylist Sarah Richardson), Vogue Italia (photographer Steven Meisel/stylist Lori Goldstein), Numero Paris (photographer Jean Baptiste Mondino/stylist Bill Mullen), i-D magazine (photographer Solve Sundsbo/stylist Charlotte Stockdale)