matalou@home

Matalou is a designer who is involved with creating funky accessories for 8 years now and has a strong presence in the world of fashion in Athens. We had a chat with her while visiting her unique showroom/shop in Plaka.
She told us she enjoys the surprises that come with her work and draws inspiration from life itself!

Q-What is the best and worst part of working for yourself?
A-Good things overcome the bad,that's all i can say..
Her dream is to be able to continue doing what she loves and she elaborated a bit on the reasons for opening her own retail space which features other designers as well.




Q-What was your reason for opening your retail space and why do you feature other designers?Any other plans for expanding?
A- It just happened,like it usually does (!)and i followed.
My own shop gives me a sense of freedom as i can "show" whatever i want even if it's not commercial enough…(trying to be commercial and creative at the same time -which i have to do since it's my job and not a hobby- can be exhausting some times).
Another reason is that i like-so much-to meet and interact with people that are buying and wearing my stuff, although i spend few hours in the shop.
Also, when you find me there(you can arrange for an appointment) you can ask to have any of my designs created in your preferred colour combinations and/or your own details (prints etc.)




Q-Let us know what other designs apart from your own we can find at your shop and where are you located, opening hours etc
A-Apart from my collections you will enjoy the works of:
-Blanket Lo(accessories-clothing)
-Lost toys(accessories-clothing),
-Hrisanthi(clothing),
-mum@home(jewellery)
-Kru kurva(Laga bags),
-madame Mo(dolls,paper staff etc.) and many to come.



The shop is called "Matalou at home" and it's located in Plaka area,
17 Kirristou str.,tel.2103246448,
It is open Tuesday to Saturday (also Mondays during winter)
Tue+Sat 11.00-17.00 and Wen,Thu+Fri 11.00-20.30

Also you can meet Matalou online on
http://www.myspace.com/mtl_athome
http://www.iqons.com/matalou/at/home

The Bitches are Back!

We are not uttering profanities! This is the translation of the name of a shop we have come to know and love called Le Streghe Son Tornate.It features many authentic vintage treasures from the 30es onwards, creations of contemporary independent clothing and accessories designers, as well as not so vintage but famous brands nevertheless, like Missoni, Versace and Dior.

They also accept your original designer items on consigment, so you can be truly economical and eco-friendly and recycle anything that is in mint condition just sitting in your closet.Every now and then, they hold bazaars with lower priced bargains so keep in the loop!

Rianna and Nana are the owners of this individual boutique located at 9 Haritos Street at the Kolonaki shopping district.
Tel 210-7212581

1st Tattoo Convention

Last weekend, we visited the 1st Tattoo Convention where we spotted the latest trends in body art. Men and women showed off their tattoos, large and small. Some of them were very unique indeed and had taken body art onto another level.

Mike's Tattooing. Mike is inspired by Eastern art and philosophy and he is considered the best tattoo artist in Greece.

Ibiza Tattoo

Pili Moo from the Canary Islands

magaze

Magaze is one of the hippest places in downtown Athens. With its colorful decor, relaxed ambiance, delicious coffee and treats, it's our fave hang-out place for a quick coffee or a lovely cocktail.



Anastasia is a waitress @ Magaze

and so is Tina

Louis Vuitton Style Versus Athens Street Style

We couldn't help noticing the irony of the new Louis Vuitton creation
by Marc Jacobs! This bag is inspired by the plastic carrier tote that
originates from China and is carried by everyone globaly to carry their
stuff, mostly junk or groceries! We haven't decided if this is a sign
of the times, with China being a new superpower in manufacturing,
especially of fake Louis Vuitton bags! Someone is turning the tables?

Design World begins! Featuring Lost Toys

Athenswears is introducing their new regular section featuring independent (Indie) designers and artists working in Athens and Greece in general. We aim
to familiarise everyone with the unique creativity floating around and hopefully create a gateway for the designers abroad!
We have more plans in the future concerning a directory and webpages dedicated to designers, so if you are a designer or artist interested, please contact us!

We are starting our reviews by presenting Lost Toys Accessories
You can contact Anna Petridis at 6946-338394 and visit her showroom located in Psyrri.

Q-Let us know a little bit about yourself and your backround…
A-I studied fashion design with business in England for 4 yrs and
started with the Lost Toys line a little bit after coming back to
Greece..in Feb 2002.



Q-Why Lost Toys?
A-The Lost Toys as a concept and name reflects a lot to my personality.
I love the idea of trying to keep the humorous, quirky, colorful and
playful touch in my work for the child-like fun woman no matter of
what age.



Q-Where do you find your inspiration?
A-I have been inspired by children's story books, old and new toys
(I have a collection of vintage toys), but I think inspiration is
everywhere...as long as you're in the mood to look out for it! I love
collecting different fabrics, buttons, beads from markets in the city
and other cities or villages when I get the chance to travel.
I believe that the more materials one owns the more their creativity is enhanced!




Q-Tell us the best and worst part of working for your own business…
A-Working for yourself is not easy..you have to be your own boss...and
that can be tricky! But I believe its worth it! Focusing on what you
truly love...you can really achieve a lot...especially self satisfaction!
I think everyone should get the chance to work on what they really love!

Q-What are your plan for the future?
A-What I would love to do next is try to work on promoting my work in
boutiques out of Greece. This could be done by setting up a group
exhibition in a city maybe like Paris.I visited a couple of exhibitions
in the past and there are other small designers already doing this.




Q-What about independent fashion and design in Athens today?
A-The fashion scene in Athens is rising and developing rapidly...I see
many young people out there who have the confidence and are starting
to do their own little cool lines! The good thing is that there are
certain people who do appreciate the hand made touch and are willing
to give a bit more money for it...

Accessories handmade with Love!

The handcrafted trend is going strong as we notice more and more people appreciating the unique creations of independant designers and resisting
the mass produced pieces that have flooded the market everywhere.

Pose, Slide and/or Jump

On the weekend, the urban team showed up at a skateboarders gathering where we met lots of people with a unique sense of style. Amidst the ramps, the skaters and the BMXers who impressed us with their tricks, we were able to spot some new trends.

Skateboards can be turned into a work of
art with a little imagination from their owners.

The Urban Team hits the airwaves!

The Urban Team made a guest appearance at “Talk of the Town”,
a radio programme on Athens International Radio 104.4FM.
The show’s hostess, Alexia Amvrazi chatted with
the athenswears.com creators about the blog,
the major trends that are out there, what it takes to create
a street fashion blog in Athens, how easy it is to capture
the look and style of the people.
We also invited new independent artists who wish to be
featured on our blog as well as contributors who woud like
to send us pictures and comments, to contact us.

(Talk of the Town is daily at 10-11am, Monday through Friday on 104.4FM)

From left to right Jessica Josafat, Alexia Amvrazi, Evi Tsirigotaki

athenswears@ozon magazine