Talk to us about your creative journey and the achievements you hold closest to your heart.
Creative journeys are always long and continuous. One particularly important moment along this path was when my jewelry began being sold in New York and across many parts of the United States through our collaboration with Muse Showroom.
It had always been my dream to work and travel back and forth to New York. It’s a city that has inspired me since the 1980s. I studied there, and ever since, it continues to fascinate me, teach me, and, above all, energize me. It’s a place where you see the best and the worst side by side.
You’ve managed to create a signature style that conveys a strong sense of craftsmanship. How did you achieve this, and where do you draw inspiration from?
I’m deeply drawn to the art of craftsmanship in all its forms. I find great value in the lack of pretension and in the unique outcome of handmade work—whether it’s jewelry, ceramics, embroidery, or painting.
That’s exactly what I want my jewelry to express. I have a strong love for ethnic, antique, and vintage jewelry. What fascinates me, beyond their form, is the patina of time and the way it transforms them.
Which pieces do you consider your most iconic, and how have you seen them worn in the best way?
The large gold cuffs that combine Native American and Greek elements. I find them full of symbolism and protective energy.
The best way to wear them is in a way that expresses the style and mood of the person wearing them. It makes me truly happy when my jewelry becomes part of someone’s personality and memory.
Equally dear to me are the Mantra Bracelets. They represent the emotional dimension I want my jewelry to have. They are handmade solid gold plates threaded onto colorful velvet ribbons, engraved with meaningful names, words, or emotions. To me, they function as emotional identities in everyday life.
I’ve personally worn Mantra Bracelets for many years—mine are engraved with the names of my three children and my grandchildren. Carrying them with me every day fills me with joy whenever my eyes fall upon them.
The heart is the symbol of love, and you’ve made it your signature motif. How did that come about?
There’s no logical explanation. I’ve always had a great love for hearts—my eye was somehow always drawn to them. Perhaps because they have a sculptural shape, rounded lines, and nothing sharp. Maybe because the shape feels balanced and harmonious.
As time went on, the fact that the heart symbolizes love made perfect sense. Love is a great value, and expressing it has always deeply moved me.
How can your hearts be worn, and how do they align with love? Share a story you’ll never forget.
There’s no single way to wear my hearts. They work just as beautifully as statement pieces or layered with one’s favorite jewelry. What matters most to me is that they are worn with a positive spirit and gifted with love.
I will never forget the countless little hearts my three daughters have drawn for me since they were very young—hearts with eyes, hair, ears, mouths, flowers—created and given with so much love.
What is the best way to style your jewelry?
The best styling is free styling—whatever expresses each person’s mood and spirit. They can be worn one by one or layered together, mixed with jewelry of any style: large, small, vintage, antique, or contemporary.
The subjectivity of style is what makes it authentic and unique—and that’s where its power and beauty lie.
The most radiant moments of this journey
The happiest moment of this journey has been the creation of my flagship store and studio in the center of Athens. It was something I had wanted for a long time, as it’s very important to me to have a space that encompasses the entire world of my jewelry—from inspiration to creation.
I wanted to create a space that feels like a living room, as if you’re entering an artist’s studio. I was lucky enough to find the space I had imagined on Valaoritou Street, with its enormous ficus tree—a small escape from Voukourestiou and at the same time a magical corner that feels like Paris or New York.
For the past year, I’ve been designing it so that every detail represents me and my jewelry. I can’t wait to share it with you this spring.
Fashion vs. Design, where do they stand, and how do they compete in your heart?
Fashion no longer inspires or moves me, and perhaps it no longer concerns me at all. On the contrary, design fascinates me in all its forms—whether jewelry, art, architecture, natural landscapes, and much more.
What interests me is inspiration and meaning.
Tell us about your collaborations and how they’ve evolved over time.
One of my most important and beloved collaborations is with Rianna, founder of the fashion brand Rianna + Nina. We share a long-standing friendship that grew out of our mutual love for vintage, ethnic pieces, and above all, craftsmanship.
Together, we’ve spent countless hours exploring antique markets, bazaars, and of course, museums. Each of us followed our passion for design in our own way, Rianna through fashion and objects, and me through jewelry.
Her creations naturally and harmoniously connect with my jewelry, and we felt the time had come to unite these two worlds. We launched our collaboration at the Rianna + Nina boutique at the magical Marbella Club Hotel, where it was very successful, and recently presented our collection at her new flagship store in Paris.
What would be a dream project for you?
I would love to collaborate with the Archaeological Museum of Athens, which I deeply love and admire. It has always been my dream to create a collection based on ancient Greek jewelry, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens for museum visitors from Greece and abroad.
When you enter a space, what do you notice first and why?
It always depends on the purpose of the space. The first things I notice are the light, the scent, and the overall atmosphere it radiates. Then come the furniture and décor.
I’m not fond of empty, monochromatic spaces. I’m drawn to environments that activate my senses, spark creative curiosity, and allow me to relax.
The last thing you bought — or would like to buy
The last thing I bought was a gold snake bracelet from 1870 with a ruby set in its head, which I found on my most recent trip to Paris. Even though I had promised myself I wouldn’t buy another snake, I gave in.
The jewelry designer of your heart
I don’t have a single favorite designer. All the jewelry I’ve purchased or admired has been antique, vintage, or ethnic—pieces that often don’t carry the name of a designer.
There are, however, many designers throughout the history of jewelry whom I’ve admired across different eras.
An exhibition you will never forget
The exhibition I will never forget is Francis Bacon’s in London, which I saw when I was very young.
Among more recent exhibitions, Tetsuya Ishida’s show in New York deeply moved me.
I will also never forget the first Butoh dance performances I saw at the Japanese Consulate in New York; I’ve followed this art form devotedly ever since.
Likewise, I’ve followed the remarkable journey of Dimitris Papaioannou from the very beginning of his career.
The list keeps growing, as art has been an inseparable part of my life—from childhood until today.
Three places you return to and why
I return to my childhood through my father’s lush seaside estate in Porto Heli. It reconnects me with memory, nature, and myself.
New York, where I began my studies, became my second home and shaped a significant part of my life. It’s where I cultivated my interests to a high level and deepened my love for the arts. To this day, it’s a place from which I draw endless inspiration—it energizes me.
Finally, Mykonos, where I spent my entire adolescence and raised my three daughters. It once held a unique energy.
Your personal definition of beauty
I could define beauty through these four words:
Simplicity – balance – authenticity – natural.
What do you consider authentic today?
I consider authenticity to be uniqueness and sincerity. We live in the age of images, where imitation is an easy and fast solution. It takes inner coherence and confidence for uniqueness not to feel threatening.
If you were to design something for TheAuthentics.gr, what would it be?
If I were to design something for Authentics, it would be a fantastical heart that encapsulates the movement and colors of the sea, the horizon, and the sky.
We may not be able to create it—but we can certainly dream it.
