Fashion capitals New York, London, Milan and Paris are in a state of fashion frenzy with Fashion Week in full swing.

Designers, both established and emerging, are unveiling their collections while next season’s trends are being determined. Greek designer Vassilios Kostetsos showcased his 2012 spring/summer collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week last week, in New York. The AELLA collection oozes Hellenism, with plenty of gladiator/warrior styles on show in both menswear and womenswear.

Terracotta, blue, white and metallics dominate Kostetsos’ line while muted tangerine (the emerging colour of next season) is also on show in a fabulously dramatic gown. Printed tees and dresses display images of Byzantine vases, while metallics and fringing recreate the armour of Grecian warriors. Draping, goddess-style dresses are juxtaposed with fitted, tailored dresses, cinched at the waist by dramatic leather belts.

Of course, no Greek collection is complete without a one-shoulder, toga inspired garment, and a fitted white dress of this description fulfils the quota. The designer has given the look a modern twist with a figure hugging design and feathered shoulder pad. For womenswear, Kostetsos has plenty of exaggerated shoulder pads and cinched waists, creating a look that is both powerful and feminine. Meanwhile in menswear, it’s all blazers, tailored trousers and shorts in lots of white, black and tan. Forward-fringed gladiator sandals are also a seasonal staple.

The collection combines Grecian elegance with a modern edge through the structure and strength of the collection and its elements. The Athenian-born designer has built himself a solid reputation as a designer to watch in Greece. Kostetsos began working in his mother’s clothing import business at just nine years old. In 1990, he launched his own label Vassilios Kostetsos and opened his first studio in the fashionable district of Kolonaki in Athens. In the same year, he presented his first haute couture collection.

To view Kostetsos’ entire collection, visit www.kostetsos.gr