Eight contemporary Greek jewellers of Hellenic Wave are finding an appreciative new audience for their striking designs hinged on a compelling visual narrative, writes SMITHA SADANANDAN. new discipline of contemporary Greek jewellers is cultivating a taste for original designs, informed by the rich heritage and referenced by their distinctive aesthetics. Streamlining their individual brands under a singular design collective Hellenic Wave reinforced by a strong outpouring of creativity and design sensibilities these eight designers have carved a niche for themselves in the jewellery scene with a riveting treasure trove of fine jewellery. Meet Christina Soubli, Eugenie Niarchos, Ileana Makri, Michael Pelamidis, Myrto Anastasopoulou, Polina Sapouna-Ellis, Theodoros Savopoulos and Yannis Sergakis. Former exhibitor at Baselworld, Christina Soubli had been trying to convince the organisers to accept a group entry at the annual show, as solo participation fee was quite high. As luck would have it, with barely three weeks to go, Christina was offered a group entry with a Greek pavilion. Some of the designers had already established themselves in the international arena, while others were looking for new horizons. At that time, Christina and most of the designers (now part of Hellenic Wave) were busy showcasing their work at an exhibition in Greece. Time was short and they had to move fast; finally, the team of eight pulled it off. Christina along with Eugenie, Ileana, Michael, Myrto, Polina, Theodoros and Yannis formed the Hellenic Wave and showcased their work at Baselworld 2015. In the process, we all became friends in a very genuine non-competitive way, appreciating each other s work. This experience at Baselworld brought us closer and we all realised how much we needed the Hellenic Wave, says Christina. 84 solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016
Christina Soubli Christina s family has been into jewellery making in Athens, thus sparking her love for the craft. As a child, she would often accompany her mother and watch the craftsmen at work. Years later, Christina joined Central Saint Martins, London and went on to work for her family s head craftsman for two years: she improved her technical skills, learned to gauge what would work and what wouldn t and translate her ideas with finesse onto paper. The first piece she made was a necklace, in silver and brass, for her mother. During the initial phase of her career, Christina also designed a collection for Zolotas Jewellery House. In 1995, she won the Goldsmith s award for a double ring set in 18-karat white and yellow gold, for which Christina drew upon the Ionian style columns of Greek architecture. Christina primarily uses 22-karat gold for her creations, featuring precious gemstones and pearls. Her delicate collection Dentelles celebrates her love for the art of filigree, while the Helios collection draws upon the sun for inspiration. Inspired by Greek mythology and grapes the fruit of gods, clusters of rubies, tourmalines, sapphires and fluorites huddle happily on rings, earrings and pendants in Christina s new Grape collection. solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016 85
Eugenie Niarchos Though her family the Niarchos has been in the shipping business in Greece, Eugenie charted her own course. A tryst with fashion led to the discovery of her fascination with jewellery. Eugenie then studied at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in London and continued to explore her imagination and skill to better understand fine jewellery design and diamonds. She channelled her creativity through collaborations: first with Repossi and then with Vanessa Seward, designing two capsulecostume jewellery collections for the French luxury label Azzaro. Eugenie cut her teeth working at Christie s Fine Jewellery Department in New York before launching her jewellery line Venyx World the interesting name being a blend of the planet Venus and the stone onyx. Eugenie s Venyx World is a rather colourful and fantastical world that fuses together her retro-futuristic aesthetics. Quirky, in a very positive, fun way, Eugenie s precious universe inspired by reptiles, creatures of the ocean, Greek mythology, stars and outer space is where she plays with shapes, materials and textures to design eyecatching pieces for her collections such as Reptilia, Miss Zeus, Theiya and Oseanyx. 86 solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016
Ileana Makri Jewellery has always been a big passion for Ileana, who started making her own pieces as a teenager. Armed with a degree in Business Administration, Ileana later trained at the GIA in Santa Monica and opened her first retail store in Greece in 1987. Ten years into her entrepreneurial venture, Ileana designed a fine jewellery collection under her namesake brand. Pieces in 18-karat gold adorned with rubies, diamonds and sapphires were snapped up by Barneys New York. The rest as they say is history. Ileana, who continually strives to promote the classic, timeless beauty of Greece through everyday wearable designs, makes her jewellery in Greece, with most of her diffusion line being produced at her workshop in Athens. Her collaboration with London-based fashion designer Marios Schwab in 2009 was a very creative one, which saw her come up with a punk design for safety pins and feathers. In 2012, Ileana branched out with a fashion line called IAM offering gold-plated jewellery at a lower price point, all the while staying true to the brand s design ethos. Today, her jewellery has a devout following of A-listers such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Rihanna and Halle Berry, among others. solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016 87
Michael Pelamidis It was his grandmother and her love for accessories that cast an impression on young Michael s life, as he grew up in Paris. One day, she took him to the Jacquemart- Andre Museum in Paris for a Boucheron retrospective. For twelve-year-old Michael, it was love at first sight, and he wanted to create such beautiful jewellery and knew that some day he indeed would. As he neared the end of his studies at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Joaillerie, he designed a collection comprising large chokers, necklaces and earrings all inspired by Parisian architecture, and his work won him the Georges et Jacques Lenfant award. The designer further honed his skills at Parisian jewellery houses such as Brigitte Ermel and Creations Lebenstein, various companies in Brussels such as Nona and Amira and many more. Michael, who has been designing for almost 20 years, is now based in Greece. Quite classical in his selection of materials such as precious and semi-precious stones, while working in gold and silver, the designer is highly inspired by the fluidity in architecture. Michael s Thalassa collection in 18-karat gold with pearls and diamonds explores the sea for inspiration, while his Lithic collection highlights the conflict between rough, primitive minerals (semi-precious stones) and the organic polished metal (gold), as each tries to conquer the other. His daring aesthetics also sees him use Galuchat in his jewellery that often celebrates melodramatic shapes. 88 solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016
Myrto Anastasopoulou With her skills lying entrenched in the world of theatre design and sculpture, Myrto traversed various artistic routes. She eventually segued into the jewellery scene: her discerning eye for details and artistic bent of mind helped her take the plunge and design pieces informed by nature, architecture and sculpture. A strong visual vocabulary that celebrates a myriad of inspirations plays out beautifully in her creations. While the Midnight Moon collection features curvy sculptural pieces that evoke the forms in nature, the Alchemist delves into the world of geometric silhouettes. Minimalistic unilinear forms, fluid sculptural planes and eloquent simplicity exemplify Myrto s namesake jewellery line. solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016 89
90 solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016 Polina Sapouna-Ellis A trained archaeologist and painter, Polina found herself drawing pictures of the amazing finds at the archaeological sites and of jewels. Failing to find the kind of jewellery that she really wanted to wear, this archaeologist-painter decided to make a few of her own. Polina began designing jewellery six years ago; her interest in architecture and love of geometry were gradually translated into jewellery that is both evocative and sculpturesque. Her first piece was a pendant part of her Antithesis collection in strong, simple lines informed by the symmetry of ancient Greek forms. Back when she started, she worked in silver, primarily because she liked its colour and wanted to create big, statement pieces, which would not have been feasible in gold. Polina now increasingly uses gold in her creations. The symmetry and harmony in the statue of Tethrippon (chariot with four horses) inspired Polina to craft her own design in silver accented with laser engraving. The Antithesis collection is her study of harmony hinged on two antithetical lines, while the Dorian collection encapsulates the power of the Dorian style and Doric art of the ancient temples. The austere simplicity that lends itself to Spartan and Dorian philosophy comes alive in Polina s powerful work.
Theodoros Savopoulos Theodoros, with a background in chemistry and finance, is driven by a singular passion to create exceptional jewels, while catering to a select clientele. This is why his creations are restricted to a mere handful of eight to ten unique pieces each year. The designer s unconventional approach to working with gemstones, rare materials such as antique tiger claws, unique gems and a mesmerising artistic vision makes his jewellery utterly covetable. The Ivy ring with diamonds and tsavorites on enamelled white gold, a pair of bamboo-inspired tourmaline earrings are some of the delightful works the designer has made for his signature line, Theodoros. solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016 91
Yannis Sergakis Yannis belongs to a family of jewellers. It was but natural that one day Yannis too would follow in their footsteps. How could he not, when he grew up, so to speak, surrounded by precious stones and jewellery! The love of the art and craft of jewellery making made Yannis realise the importance of a course that could set him on the right path and that is how the GIA came into the picture. Working alongside his family proved to be the greatest school of all, where Yannis learned not only how to create a piece of jewellery but also the nuances of merchandising and, above all, what it took to set up a business. Though Yannis had been designing for other jewellery houses, he officially made it his vocation in 2003. A decade and 30 collections later, Yannis launched his signature line Yannis Sergakis Adornments. Inspired by architecture, people, fabrics, silhouettes and emotions, the jewels celebrate minimalism with a contemporary twist: the Commitment collection comprises four lines Charnieres, Crochets, Lines and Gracelet. His creations are harmonised by elegance and symmetry, featuring simple lines with a power twist. This year, at Baselworld, Yannis unveiled new designs as part of his Charnieres line. 92 solitaire INTERNATIONAL july 2016