CELIA KRITHARIOTI
If you love fashion, and Greek fashion at that, then the name Kritharioti will be nothing new to you.

Established in 1906, the Celia Kritharioti House of Couture is the oldest Greek fashion house in existence today.

Both sophisticated and glamorous, Celia has managed to maintain the ethos of the label, founded by her family, well into the 21st century, with new emerging fans the likes of Kim Kardashian, Maria Menounos, Lady Gaga and Naomi Campbell, among others.

Most recently, ex-Spice Girl Mel B wore a white Celia Kritharioti haute couture gown, with a risque split from the hip down, to the Creative Emmy Awards, while Gwenyth Paltrow was photographed in a stunning lace number for Vogue Mexico.

Those who know of the designer’s work can spot a Celia gown a mile off, for all the right reasons.

The high-end designs, as expected, are constructed using only the finest quality fabrics, with attention paid to every detail so as to accommodate and accentuate the female form.

In her latest 2016 haute couture and bridal collections, Kritharioti uses light as a source of inspiration.

Each gown features elaborate embroidery on fine silk, precious lace and crêpe, along with sparkling gemstones which beautifully reflect the light, all emphasised by the gloomy mood created in the official photo shoot by renowned photographer Kostas Avgoulis.

Since Celia came on board, the fashion house has also managed to bring its influence to bear off the runway. The designer was selected to design the uniforms for Olympic Air, and was also responsible for the costumes in the Greek National Opera’s production of Romeo and Juliet.

The Kritharioti house works around the clock, year round, presenting one haute couture collection, a bridal collection, two 5226 prêt-à-porter collections, along with two 5226 princess collections for the little ones annually, in addition to designer sunglasses, jewellery and accessories.

For more information and to view recent and past collections, visit www.celiakritharioti.gr/

CHRISTOS COSTARELLOS
Christos Costarellos first broke into the world of fashion in 1998, with the launch of his eponymous label, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the general populous appreciated the designer for all that he was.

Exposed to textiles and design from a young age through his parents, who worked in the industry, after pursuing fashion design at Greece’s Dimitrelis School of Fashion and later costume design at the London College of Fashion, Costarellos started working in the centre of Athens out of a small workshop.

There he kept an exclusive clientele, who appreciated and shared his love of finer details when it came to tailoring and finishing a garment, using special couture techniques.

With his popularity steadily growing, by 2000 the Germany-born designer boasted two additional ateliers, through which the designer continued to create bespoke pieces.

But it was in 2005 that he decided to join the Hellenic Fashion Designer’s Association for the launch of Athens Fashion Week, where his runway shows received rave reviews.

Costarellos and his dignified and quality designs went so far as to help reinforce the Greek fashion scene.

His feminine and elegant designs have continually been inspired by the spirit of ancient Greek philosophy, beautifully tied in with contemporary and innovative elements.

“The creative process I follow forms a bridge that connects elements from the past, making them relevant to the present as they project ideas for the future,” says the designer.

Now the House of Christos Costarellos has extended to include an extensive line of ateliers, which house his fashion and bridal collections, along with local and international showrooms in Athens and Paris, and a head office.

His designs are distributed throughout the world across 50 locations in Greece, France, Lebanon, Dubai, Panama, Mequon, and a host of others.

To view Christos Costarellos’ collections, visit www.costarellos.com

Mi-Ro
Another label to add to your fashion files is Mi-Ro created and led by Dimitris Mastrokalos and Giannis Raptis.

Working from the centre of Athens, the two creative islanders – Mastrokalos is from Crete, and Raptis from Corfu – were drawn together to fuse their knowledge of design and marketing into their own label.

The pair started out working with bridal wear, and since have expanded their reach within the prêt a porter de luxe and haute couture markets.

Their emphasis has continue to be on the raw material and accentuating its best attributes with a feminine cut for starters, and finally finishing each garment with attention to detail.

Mi-Ro has since added another string to its bow, branching out to design menswear in which Mastrokalos and Raptis are applying the same ethos, bringing something unique for the boys to wear.

Their success is not only being recognised in Greece, but abroad, having been invited to showcase their collections in catwalks for the capitals of Paris, Rome and Belgrade, and were responsible for the costume design for film To Fili Tis Zois, and theatre production The Life, the Style and the Seven Dwarfs.

The pair have also shown their philanthropic side – a breath of fresh air in the cut throat industry – taking part in charitable Greek events, including their participation in Madwalk by Vodafone, whose profits went towards charity organisation for the Friends of Children with Cancer, Hope, in addition to the charity gala Taste The Fashion for Smile of the Child.

To see more of Mi-Ro’s work, visit www.mi-ro.gr