First, tell us about the highlights of your journey — the key steps that brought you to where you are today.
My beginnings and my architectural studies are definitely the foundation of my entire career. The subject matter and the culture of those studies have had the biggest influence on the way I think and on every scale of my work, whether it’s a space or an object.
A significant highlight was certainly my collaboration with designer Spyros Kizis in Athens, as he taught me how to be a proper professional, beyond simply being creative.
However, during my studies at the Design Academy is when I discovered my personal creative voice. That’s where I conducted my first experiments with metal and other materials, and where I created my first Amphora. The collection of Amphorae that followed has become the highlight of my journey so far.
Many exhibitions and collaborations followed, but I would single out my participation this year in Alcova Milano, where I presented my first complete collection, the Throne Room Collection, as well as my first exhibition invitation in 2023 from Greece is for Lovers.
How did the story of discovering your creative path begin, and how did it evolve over time?
I always enjoy answering this question, because everything started when I used to play with Playmobil. Through Playmobil I discovered creativity — both in building and in creating stories — which is essentially what I do now through the objects and spaces I design.
With my architectural thesis, I realised how much I enjoy working with my hands and how strong my need is to seek a kind of spirituality through my objects.
The real “explosion” happened in the Netherlands, when I began experimenting with more materials. That’s where I fell in love with metal.
Given your background in architecture, what did you take from it? How did it shape your path, and how do you think your aesthetic is evolving?
As I mentioned earlier, architecture is the foundation of my thinking. It taught me the importance of structure, proportion, and functionality.
I believe my aesthetic is constantly evolving toward simplicity and the honesty of construction, because I always want my works to clearly show how they stand and how they are made, essentially transferring architectural logic to the scale of an object.
You create metal objects often influenced by Ancient Greece. What led you to this mode of expression, and what is the process behind your work?
Back in 2021, while I was in the Netherlands, I was determined to “discover” gold through metals that are not gold to begin with. After many experiments, I managed, using only fire, to transform industrial metals into refined forms.
Being Greek, especially while living mostly abroad, it’s almost impossible to escape your history, because it always finds a way to follow you. That’s how the story of the amphorae began. I knew that in ancient Greece there was a minority of amphorae that were made of gold. These were used either as funerary or devotional objects by mortals offering them to the gods — to seek favours or simply to show admiration. In this sense, my pretend-to-be-gold amphorae are my own offering to the contemporary “pantheon.”
Is metal your favourite material and why? Would you try working with others?
Metal has become my favourite material because, although it appears so hard and industrial, it can be transformed into something highly refined and premium. The golden and glossy result attracts the eye, but that’s exactly where the essence of the material lies. Some metals will remain unchanged over time; others may rust or become marked. I love that, how easily something can catch our eye, even though it will eventually change, because the truth of the material is different.
Perhaps in the future I will experiment with other materials, but for now, I’m in my “metal period.”
Would you use metal for functional objects for example, a tableware set?
Usually my works are conversation pieces first and functional objects second. In other words, the idea comes before the function.
However, many collaborations have come in the form of commissions, where the idea comes from the client. In that case, I would gladly create or design a functional object, such as a tableware set.
The joints and the way your pieces are constructed are clearly visible, inviting the viewer to explore them. Was this an idea that shaped your work from the beginning, or did it emerge during the creative process?
The riveted joints are an idea that eventually became part of the design of my objects, but they started out by accident or rather, out of necessity. Copper and stainless steel cannot be welded together, so they can only be connected with some type of screw. Rivets are such a simple connection method, used by craftsmen because they allow very quick assembly. But in my work, I think even these humble tools are transformed into something more refined and elevated.
Tell us about your participation in international exhibitions and the collaborations that you hold close to your heart.
Any exhibition, especially an international one, is the moment when an artist’s work is judged, and perhaps recognized. For a creator who spends many hours shut inside a studio, it is the most social and bright side of the job. Personally, I always look forward to it; extroversion is vital both for me and for my work. Beyond recognition, these exhibitions are also a chance to meet new designers and art lovers and collectors. It’s incredible, but I’ve met most Greek designers outside of Greece.
As I’ve already mentioned, I particularly cherish my participation in Alcova Milano, as it was the platform through which my work reached the most people. Paris Design Week is also close to my heart, as I now spend most of my time in France. There, I had the chance to meet Brigitte Macron twice and beyond design, we ended up talking for quite a while about how much she loves Greek food. It was quite funny and made everyone around us bored.
I should also mention my recent collaboration with Nikos Tsepetis, who entrusted me with the window display of his famous bakery, Red Jane. His enthusiasm and love for design made me enjoy our collaboration more than any other. The “Giant 6” in the window of Red Jane is a prelude to the new year, 2026, as well as a symbol of love and light for the year ahead. It will remain in Chania until early next year.
How much “Greece” exists in your work, and what would you ideally want a viewer to experience when looking at your objects?
Greece is at the core of my work. It exists in the form, in the light, and in the reference to the sacred. Ideally, I would like the viewer to feel a sense of familiarity as if they recognise something from the past, yet are simultaneously surprised by its contemporary expression. I would like them to feel calm, harmony, and perhaps even reflect on what we consider precious today. To see Greece as a living source of inspiration rather than a static museum.
How do you use technology, and what new possibilities has it offered you?
Technology is very important in my work, but only as a tool — never as an end in itself. I use it for the precision it offers, such as metal cutting or designing complex geometries that can be done quickly and easily on a computer. However, the finishing, assembly, and final construction are always done by my own hands, and I think that is what gives value to my work — and gives me the desire to keep going.
Traditional painting vs. AI-based installations where do your preferences lie, and what else does the future hold?
I don’t think craftsmanship can easily be replaced by the computer. It’s quite clear from my work that my preference leans strongly toward materiality the tangible, the thing that has weight, texture, and above all human effort and human error.
What inspires you to evolve your creative process? Tell us a story.
I try to seek and find inspiration in everything around me but mostly through art, cinema, music, and travel.
Something I will never forget is my visit to Mount Athos. The trip happened as part of research for a university project in the Netherlands. Mount Athos is problematic for many reasons, the most obvious being that other genders cannot visit, yet the spirituality one can feel in those places makes even the most atheist person believe in something sacred. I hope that this element will continue to influence my work for a long time.
What else lies within your wider creative explorations?
I am deeply interested in the idea of spirituality in objects. Beyond form, I am searching for how an object can become a token or part of a ritual in our daily lives. I believe my upcoming works will embody exactly these ideas.
What do you feel are the most significant achievements in your creative journey?
I don’t know if I have made any “achievement” in my creative journey, but the most important thing for me based on the feedback I receive is that I have managed to create a recognisable identity. The fact that someone can look at a piece and know that it’s mine is a great satisfaction.
What are your immediate plans?
A new year is coming, so naturally my plans include participating in new exhibitions and expanding my collaborations.
I am very happy about a collaboration I will announce in December with creative director Giorgos Mesimeris of Hard Clo, involving the creation of a limited-edition scarf. I’m very excited to see how the textures of metal will translate onto fabric.
What is the first thing you notice when you enter a space?
The light. As an architect, the first thing I feel is how light enters a space, how it hits surfaces, and what atmosphere it creates. Then I notice the materials, the proportions, etc. But light is what elevates or destroys everything.
What would be your dream project to create?
Ever since I was an architecture student — and throughout my creative exploration — my dream project has remained the same: to design a small “chapel,” inspired by the chapels of Crete and other Greek islands, but without religious symbols. A sacred space dedicated to quietness, spirituality, and peace, where anyone can pray, meditate, or simply find calm, accompanied by carefully designed objects.
Who are the artists closest to your heart, and why do you choose them?
It’s a very difficult and at the same time very easy question, because there are so many. I’ll limit myself to visual artists.
Among Greek artists: Philolaos, Alex Mylona, Takis, Xenakis, and Kounellis. All of them elevated Greece and are a tremendous source of inspiration.
Among international artists: Donald Judd, for teaching that the honesty of material and structure can itself be art. Mark Rothko, whose spirituality and “silence” resonate deeply with me, I could sit in front of his works for hours. And Noguchi, for being a creator who erased the boundaries between art, architecture, and design.
Name three places you love returning to — and why.
All three places are in my beloved Rethymno.
Margarites: My grandfather’s village. I love going there in the summer and discovering small treasures in its endless pottery workshops.
The chapel of Agios Giannis in Mourne: A place of incredible views and tranquility.
Rethymno beach: Although objectively the beaches on the south side of the island are far more beautiful, the northern beaches live all year round. Running is my form of meditation, but running on Rethymno beach, in every season, offers a different kind of cleansing — both of body and soul.
What do you consider “authentic” today?
Authentic are the people and objects that have identity, that are not afraid to show their imperfections, and that carry their history with pride.
If you were to design something for TheAuthentics.gr, what would it be?
I would design a contemporary “tama” — a small metal object that anyone could hold or gift as a symbol of gratitude or hope.
