Tell us about your creative journey. How did the initial idea for the ZOGRAFOS brand come about, and what do you consider your most meaningful achievements?
My creative journey began with the need to bring to life a product that carries emotion and endures over time—something that can be passed down from one generation to the next. I have always believed that silk and jewelry possess a unique quality: they are not merely objects, but vessels of memory. The idea for the brand emerged from this very thought.
I wanted to create something that is not defined by gender or season, nor driven by trends—an object that symbolizes permanence, something timeless, personal, and meaningful. What holds the greatest value for me today is the relationship that forms with the people who choose ZOGRAFOS creations. The fact that they share their memories, moments, and emotions with me is, ultimately, the most important part of this journey.
You’ve developed a signature style that reflects craftsmanship and a sense of understated luxury. How did you achieve this?
It’s a combination of instinct, aesthetics, dedication, and a deep love for what I do. From the beginning, I’ve been guided by an inner sense of what has substance and what can stand the test of time.
At the same time, there is an awareness of what can truly resonate with people—what they will love and what they will want to keep for a lifetime. A signature style is not something you consciously design. It emerges through consistency and through the relationship between myself, the fabric, and the person who ultimately chooses it.
Let’s start with the raw material. Where did you seek the foundation of your production, and what do you consider non-negotiable when it comes to quality?
My primary material is Soufli silk. I chose it because silk is the only fabric that connects so deeply with memory, emotion, touch, and even scent. It carries history within it. In the past, there was a tradition where anyone returning from a long journey would bring back a silk scarf as a gift for a loved one. It symbolized love, loyalty, and devotion—and that is exactly what I want to be present in every piece I create.
Today, in the era of fast fashion, there is a growing return to quality and the value of craftsmanship. What role does handmade production play in your work, and what feedback do you receive from your audience? Does it receive the appreciation it deserves?
Craftsmanship lies at the core of what I do. It’s not just a stage in the production process—it’s the way I give identity and character to each piece.
In a fast-paced world, people are beginning to seek something more meaningful again—something that embodies time, care, and authenticity. I see this reflected in the feedback I receive. There is appreciation, but more importantly, there is connection. It may not yet hold the place it truly deserves on a larger scale, but there is certainly a shift toward it, which is very encouraging.
What is the starting point for designing a scarf, and where do you draw your inspiration from? What values define the brand?
The starting point is always a feeling or an image I want to capture. It can be something deeply personal, or something I’ve seen—a journey, a moment, or even a small detail. Inspiration comes from everywhere: art, architecture, nature, but also everyday life.
What matters to me is translating that inspiration into something timeless and meaningful. The values that define the brand are authenticity, quality, subtlety, and the emotional connection formed with the object.
One unique service you offer is custom design for special occasions. Tell us more about it and share some key examples. How often do you receive such requests, and how interesting is this process for you?
Custom design has evolved into a very important part of the brand, especially through corporate gifts and events. There aren’t many companies in our field offering something similar, which is one of the reasons clients choose us.
On a daily basis, we design pieces that tell stories—of friendships, personal journeys, the philosophy of a hotel, or the identity of a brand. This is what keeps us creative and constantly reminds us that the product is not just an object, but something that holds real meaning for many people.
How important is your direct connection with people and their desires, both for you and for them?
I’m a deeply emotional person, and the brand is essentially an extension of my heart. Connecting with people, listening to their stories and emotions, and translating them into a fabric that will accompany them for a lifetime is what gives me the strength to continue.
Tell us the most beautiful—and perhaps the most unusual—story you’ve experienced.
I’ll share a recent story that truly stayed with me. A woman we didn’t know contacted us on the occasion of World Cancer Day. She told us about her mother, a woman who had fought cancer very hard and is now well. Her four children wanted to give her a gift—not just something beautiful, but something meaningful. Something that could hold everything they had been through and everything they hoped for.
They chose one of our silk scarves titled “Do you have plans for the years ahead? Because I want us to spend them together.” It was originally designed as an alternative marriage proposal. But they saw it differently. Through this scarf, they wanted to ask their mother if she had plans for the years to come—so they could live them together.
In that moment, we were reminded once again why we do what we do. Because while we may start with an idea, a title, or a specific message, in the end each scarf becomes a canvas for a completely different story—one that is deeply personal. For us, this is what wearable memories truly means: not just silk scarves, but memories infused with love, strength, and hope.
After several years of a successful journey, which pieces do you consider your most iconic?
As we celebrate eight years this year, I feel that all our scarves have achieved a sense of timelessness, with people choosing them again and again. If I had to highlight one, it would be my first collection, CLEO. It marks the beginning of everything and carries the foundation upon which the entire brand evolved.
This collection combines jewelry motifs translated onto silk, merging timelessness with elegance and creating pieces that can be passed down through generations.
What story does your new collection tell, and what innovation does it bring? Who is your audience, and how would you like to expand it?
Our new collection, Whispered Memories, was created מתוך a personal desire to expand our audience and more consciously address a male clientele.
Over the years, we’ve had many male customers who chose our silk scarves—whether for the lapel or around the neck, even paired with a simple T-shirt—but this was never fully communicated. This time, we designed a collection with more masculine and timeless elements, such as watches, horses, roulette, and nautical motifs.
Our participation in the Classicon exhibition, which focuses on menswear and craftsmanship—from suits to shoes—also played a role. In this context, the silk scarf becomes the finishing element that adds character and identity to the overall look.
What would be a dream project for you?
This year, I feel truly grateful to have realized many of the projects I once dreamed of and wrote down in my journal. However, there is one project I would love to bring to life: designing silk scarves for a Greek airline. I hope this becomes a reality in 2026.
What was the last thing you bought—or would like to buy?
As I grow older, I don’t shop as often. I spend more time researching what I choose—its quality and its essence. I’m interested in investing in pieces that are not trend-driven but timeless.
I have a particular love for vintage items because they already carry a story, and in a way, they are given the chance to live again through a new person.
How would you define beauty?
As a child of the ’90s, for me beauty is simple. It doesn’t require much. It comes from within and has more to do with how one feels than how one looks.
I’m not drawn to excess. I’m drawn to what is natural and real. That’s where true beauty lies for me.
What feels authentic today?
For me, authenticity is only what is real—not what pretends or constantly tries to resemble something else. Anything without its own character cannot be authentic.
Authenticity comes from truth, and within that truth there are many sides of ourselves—not all of them perfect. What is authentic is what is not afraid to reveal those sides, to be exposed, and to evolve over time.
If you were to design something for TheAuthentics.gr, what would it be?
I would design something inspired by ancient Greek aesthetics—blue tones with linear patterns on a white canvas. Something that evokes the simplicity and elegance of the Greek summer.
