#ode_couture 2019. Maria Diamandi + team, the Benaki Museum Pireos 138
Maria Diamandi made with threads and textiles an Ode to Couture and together with her students from all over the world honored the Greek International designers from a contemporary approach of their work through which they made it to stardom. At the same time they answered to which extent and for how long those great Greeks influenced the fashion internationally and which place the Greek fashion had globally in their era.
With the historic quote of Coco Chanel ‘’only the ones who lack memory insist on their originality’’ and with the inspired lyrics of Michelangelo about time, Maria Diamandi presented us the topic on which she and her students were studying and working for more than three years, at the exhibition with the title Ode Couture, on a Wednesday evening of September 25th at the Benaki Museum in 138 Pireos st.
At the exhibition 14 new creations were presented that were inspired by the work of 4 emblematic Greek Designers who have marked the history of Greek Fashion of the 20th century and have become famous worldwide. Creations of Jean Desses, George Stavropoulos, James Galanos, Yiannis Evangelides became the inspiration for the research, analysis and recreation of the emblematic dresses that influenced fashion in the 20th century. The goal was to reintroduce their work to the public, recreating their authentic creations, altering their original work in a unique way so that we can prove that they remain as contemporary as ever.
For the special case of Yiannis Tseklenis who conquered the international market working with tenacity from Greece and with Greek production the atelier announces that a special feature will follow regarding his work with the reproduction of his thematic prints that he himself kindly granted us.
Teaching / Art Direction and Research / Curator: Maria Diamandi
Director: Andonis Theocharis Kioukas
From Maria Diamandi's atelier:
Photographer: Argyris Vavougios
In research from London: Georgia Anagnostopoulou
In research from Greece: Konstantina Archonti
P.R.: Maria Lekka
Set construction: Basillis Panagiotou
Technical support: Konstantinos Megas
Participation of students: Georgia Anagnostopoulou, Stavroula Apostolakou, Konstantina Archonti, Violeta Verdemezi, Despoina Zagoudi, Apostolia Kaffe, Areti Kontogianni, Eleni Koumbi, Maria Lekka, Alexandra Bakousi, Venetia Dabou, Anna Oikonomou, Tina Orfanidou, Barbara Pappa, Viktoria Patio, Anna Siachos, Evanthia Stefanopoulou.
A Maria Diamandi’s atelier production © 2019, Athens. All rights reserved.