Sunday 27 March 2011

9th AXDW - day 2 recap

Day two was dedicated to newcomers, traditionally with awards for Best New Designer, Best Trendsetter and Best Catwalk. This season's judges were: Miltos - Athens-based Greek designer, Stephan Caras - Toronto-based Greek designer, Ben Demiri - director of showroom SIX LONDON in London, Sasa Charara - fashion editor of Greek Glamour magazine and Martha Papadatou - fashion stylist of Glamour too.

Empire by Alice Marie Hajipanayi, Best New Designer* Award winner:
*Best New Designer gets to show at Sarajevo Fashion Week in May 2011.

jeAnS by Antonis Spathas - Best Catwalk* Award winner
*Best Catwalk Award comes with a place at an MA course in Accessories Design and Editorial Stying at ESMOD, Paris, offered by IEK Akmi.

CorBo -
Best Trendsetter by MTV Award* winner *Best Trendsetter gets to attend the TRL AWARDS in Florence, Italy and 'make statements on the red carpet' (sic from the release, not clear if they will participate or simply attend)

Other new designers that showed on the day include:
nadia Rapti & Teknio kerasioti,
Vasia Kont,Agaliou Kostantina, Nikomia, and Konstantinos Mitrovgenis. For more images on New Designers' shows, visit this post. Patricia Munster snapped quite a selection.

Then Make-A-Wish Hellas special catwalk took place, featuring a custom-made dress by Sofia Kokosalaki and fulfiling the wish of a beautiful young lady. This one was all about the emotion and not the visual so use your imagination. I can tell you though that she was stunning and under the catwalk direction of Vicky Kaya -who's walked kilometres of catwalks- she did great.

Next up, last season's Best Catwalk Winner, Ourania_Kay:
Show titled "Chapter 2//Illusions". If futuristic theme in black and sculpted volume is your thing, it was all about it. Complete with silver face make-up, turning the models into strict, walking mannequins. Complicated and skillful patterns, nothing you'd slap on in the morning and leave home. Has previously worked with Hussein Chalayan and I can somehow see that. More visual of this show, chez Patricia's.

Closing the evening, last season's Best Trendsetter Winners, Asel & Eleonora:
Collection titled "Life Less Ordinary", with a less ordinary, feminine approach of steam-punk inspiration. Tartan check, emphasis on coats with cropped or vertical frill effect lapels, assymetry closer to elegance than structure. After all we are talking about mathematicians doing fashion. An interesting show you can see more of, here.

End of Day 2.

*See Day 1 recap

Saturday 26 March 2011

9th AXDW - day 1 recap

It's the weekend following the end of the 9th Athens Xclusive Designers Week. How about browsing what designers had to show whilst recharging your batteries?

The first show had the signature of Myrto Dramountani. A Greek designer who studied and perfected her technique in New York before basing herself in London. A block colour, black dominated catwalk with flashes of red and plenty of laser-cut details. Evening and special occassion frocks. For more show photos visit this post by Patricia Munster.

Next up, a familiar AXDW name, Miltos. He's made it clear before, he likes nostalgic, past time outfits. This season his source of inspiration was the '50s. No wild takes on the forms but rather a tribute to classic shapes. Polka dots, pensil skirts and lots of cocktail dress material. For more show photos visit this post by Patricia Munster. Stelios Koudounaris on the other hand was 'so now' and consistent with his design identity. The first concerning the various occassions his clothes seem to be wearable at and the latter in regards to revisiting his best sellers and giving his fans what they've loved him for so far. Brownish-grey hues, black used to underline and define. Tech advanced fabrics, cotton, wool and cashmere. For more show photos visit this post by Patricia Munster.
Total black, sandy beige and white were the colours of choice for Chara Lebessi. There was short and there was long but no inbetween. Feminine straight lines, waist defining, emphasis on the back. Fabrics become more delicate in long part of the collection. Cocktail or gala. For more show photos visit this post by Patricia Munster.
Antoine Antoniadis' collection was the one to end day one. The Greek-French designer who lists Dita Von Teese and Mademoiselle Agnes among his parisian atelier customers, showed a well tailored set of clothes. Using a unique leather hand-woven fabric, lace and embroidery, he managed to make this sheer shade of green more interesting than ever. This is not the last we'll see of him these days as he's working on a special project for the 12th French Cinema Festival in Athens this April. For more show photos visit this post by Patricia Munster.
So that was it for the first day of AXDW. Kept commenting to the minimum, you decide for yourselves. Obviously Patricia Munster is my photography sponsor for the event for yet another season. Special thanks, all images used by permission.

Le flâneur


"Le flâneur" is Giorgis' Christodoulou single from the homonymous new album out now in Greece and Spain and about to be released in Argentina later this Summer.

The clip was directed by Dimitris Silvestros and has the essence of a short film. The lyrics are in French as written by Marthelene Gabon, music is by the artist Giorgis Christodoulou himself and in charge of nostalgic costume direction was Greek Cinema Academy Award Winner Vassilis Barbarigos.

Pleasantly surprised to see Mariangela, Nefeli and members of "Athens Lindy Hop" dancing away "Le flâneur".

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Today, 22.03.2011 @ AXDW

19:00 - de.bour shoe studio
19:30 - Ippolito
20:00
- Melissa Diamantidi
21:00 - Indashio

Celebrity Skin @ 9th AXDW - show intro film

Celebrity Skin @ 9th AXDW - backstage photos

Celebrities' Skin

Strong celebrity aura and good vibes backstage, minutes before Celebrity Skin's intense show last night.

- Thousands of KBs of what went on behind the catwalk walls currently travelling from my camera to hard drive. Full bts report, image & video coming real soon.

Monday 21 March 2011

Today, 21.03.2011 @ AXDW

17:30 - Andreea Tincu & Sense
18:30 - Stephan Caras
19:30 - Celebrity Skin
20:30
- Christine & Joe
21:30 - Ratt by Rita Attalla
22:30 - Angelos Frentzos & Zand the Band Concept Show

Celebrity Skin @ 9th AXDW - show leaks

Celebrity Skin's a/w 11 collection, DRAmaTIC-DISclipiNE, will be unveiled on the catwalk today, at 19:30. I am being informed that it's all ready and set. Here's some exclusive extra bits of info on what will take place:

- Apart from Eleonora Zouganeli, Ada Livitsanou, Isaia Matiaba, Penelope Anastasopoulou and Alexis Foukos who all star on the fashion film scheduled to open the show, Antigoni Psichrami and Alexandra Palaiologou complete the team of 7 celebrities to model on the catwalk.

- The soundtrack will be Daft Punk in remix.

- The models will march in especially created helmets, made by interior designer Andrea Manta.

- Models' feet will be walking on Dexim whereas the 7 celebrities will be wearing shoes by Room 69.

- The show consists of 32 outfits and will kick off with a men's.

Only a few hours left...

---------------------------------------
*all winners of this competition have already been notified by email. Athena, Anna, Alexandra, Eleni and Christo check your inbox for instructions.

Sunday 20 March 2011

Today, 20.03.2011 @ AXDW

17:00 - Nadia Rapti & Teknio Kerasioti / Vasia Kont
18:00 - CorBo / Agaliou Konstantina / Empire

19:00 - Nikomia / jeAnS / Konstantinos Mitrovgenis
20:00 - New Designers Awards
Sophia Kokosalaki Special Contribution for Make A Wish
20:30 - Ourania_Kay
21:30 - Asel & Eleonora

Make A Wish @ 9th AXDW

(above: Ratt dress by Rita Attalla)
Thirteen-year-old Despina's biggest wish was to be a model on the catwalk. 'Make A Wish' Hellas, the non-profit organization that aims to fulfil wishes for children with life threatening deseases, teamed up with AXDW about to grant her wish in a few hours.

AXDW and Sophia Kokosalaki worked especially on a project-contribution to Make A Wish, to be presented today at 20:00 during New Designers Awards. Despina will be walking on the catwalk by the hand of actor Orfeas Papadopoulos wearing a tailor made dress by Sophia Kokosalaki.

To further fulfil her wish, the young girl had her own look book shot professionally earlier, wearing s/s 11 Ratt by Rita Attalla. Her favourite dress above, was customised and hers to keep, courtesy of the designer.

Konstantina Agaliou @ 9th AXDW


Konstantina Agaliou has been a resident at AXDW for the past few seasons. A very familiar, enthusiastic and friendly face, so far amongst the audience. Winner of the 1st national and 3rd European award at Chevrolet's Futuristic Design Competition in 2010, today she will be the face taking the bow on the actual catwalk. Her show, Conceptual Geometry, is scheduled for 18:00. Here's a glimpse of her portfolio, on video:

Saturday 19 March 2011

Today, 19.03.2011 @ AXDW

17:30 - Myrto Dramountani
18:30 - Miltos
19:30 - Stelios Koudounaris
20:30 - Chara Lebessi
21:30 - Antoine Antoniadis