FWA - day2, Kathy Heyndels

Satin attack, drapes held together by corsets and quirky-slightly-scary face diving make-up line. Greece's Next Top Model winner, Seraina on the catwalk. Schedule's hectic so I'm leaving the rest of the commenting to you.
Photos by Patricia Munster (full coverage of the shows on her website, here)

FWA - day 2, the (same) venue

Yes, yes, it's the same venue. Minus the tent, the finger-food, the choco-lollies and the massive crowd. Today it was less people (you must have all taken the day off and be somewhere in the countryside by now?) and Amstel Pulse. The candles and tables gave their place to smaller tables and chairs, which wasn't bad considering they are all infront of a screen (shining bright, above) with a front row real-time view. Speaking of less people, that was the case until around 22:00, when the DElight show was scheduled for. Then, a hip and happy crowd (finally) took over. Shows visual coming up next.

FWA day 1 - Christoforos Kotentos

Catwalk action kicked off with Christoforos Kotentos and I can safely say that was one good start. His a/w 10 collection, 'Illusionland', was refered to as "a reflection of kaleidoscopic mixes of conflicting emotions such as love and hate, bravery and weakness, serenity and fear". And that translated into psychedelic graphic prints, emphasis on the waist and shape-games with fabrics drawn away from the body and returning tight close to it.

Hair was based on this contradiction too, as if they were being constantly blown away by opposite winds. After having seen one too many black shows this season, colour on the catwalk was refreshing. The soundtrack was a take on Alice in Wonderland, an Illusionland in its own right.

Spicy detail: the shoes were beyond skyhigh and yes, we did witness the occasional tumble, only to applaud even louder as standing alone on them would be an acievement for us mortals.

Enjoy it through Patricia Munster's photos (full coverage of the shows on her website, here), followed by a clip.
This is what the catwalk looked like whilst the crowd was walking in.
Front row Cindy - woof. (and owner Tolis Skoulariotis and Cristina Gulielmino and fashion editor Ellis Kiss on the left)
If you can walk on these shoes, you can walk on anything.
Straight from Wonderland? Or maybe on their way to it. Holy Mustache, organiser of the show's after party was there with his gang, honouring the dress code. Fantasy is always welcome in fashion. Looks like a party to me!

FWA - day 1, the venue

And this is what it looks like ladies and gents. More glamorous than ever, the outside area has been transformed into a lobby with tables nicely decorated for the crowd to stand and mingle, delicious catering at the back and a projection of what's going on in the main catwalk area. Well-done, first impression: I am pleasantly surprised.
At the entrance of Technopolis, the welcome was as sweet as it gets: Begnis choco-lollies. My taste-buds had a moment in heaven, especially as the cake from Begnis' Salamina bakery was present in all my most delicious childhood memories.
Excellent presentation too, with chocolate being just the beginning. Finger-food, champagne and juices were coming and going all evening.
And had you been at FWA in the past, you'll recognize the space below, the night boutique. At its usual room with plenty of discounted designer clothes (some, generously I must say). Mostly Greek, but I did spot some JCDC amongst others too.
That's it for venue related info, more on this area tomorrow. Christoforos Kotentos' show was the one and only of the day, it was totally in-line with the good first impression of everything today and it's coming up next.

FWA - starting, now!

Before we even had time to catch our breath from AXDW, FWA opens its doors today (schedule, here). These are all images from the press conference back on March 16th, when apart from dates and show line-ups, it was also revealed that we are in for:
-Video Presentation (Filep Motwary, Maria Mastori)
-Ethical Fashion (Red Thread)
-Trade Showroom & Paternariat (30 foreign buyers from Eastern Europe and the Middle East meet some of Greek Fashion Industy's key players)
-Fashion, Art and Charity (Action Aid)
-Night Boutique (The usual boutique where you can buy designer items at discount prices)

Openning show, today at 22:00 - Christoforos Kotentos.
(picture below: the venue, shot on the day of the press conference. Obviously there was some other event going on, but you get the picture. Can't wait to see what it looks like tonight - off I go.)

AXDW day 4 - Romina Karamanea

Romina Karamanea is a London based Greek designer. She has shown her collections for four seasons during London Fashion Week, yet this was her first show in Athens. In the past, Karamanea's work has been praised by remarkable names like the late Izabella Blow of British Vogue, Franca Sozanni of Italian Vogue and Cameron Silver, the shopkeeper of L.A.'s A-list vintage boutique Decades.

Her a/w 10 collection is black-dominated, with leather as the basis of rounded, futuristic tailored cuts and experimental details. Check her out:
(photos above, by my fashion photography sponsor Patricia Munster)

And your front row view:

AXDW day 2 - Best Catwalk & Best Trendsetter Awards

The two other new designer awards, Best Catwalk & Best Trendsetter , both went to Εvelina Litina. Apart from physical memorabilia, all awards also correspond to: participation in an international fashion show for Βest Designer, free participation at the next ΑXDW for Best Catwalk and involvement in the next beauty contest for Star Hellas 2010 for Best Trendsetter.

Litina's collection in terms of design and complexity of patterns is more than the work of a "new designer". All the more challenging, the fact that she did both womenswear and menswear. The only typical young-designer-ish choice, is that of "scary/zombie" make-up, which somehow seems to be a fav amongst newcomers.

Best of luck for her future steps, and yes, I'd happily slip into that grey dress, anytime.

(all photos in this post are by Patricia Munster)

AXDW day 2 - Best Designer Award

Dimitris Paraskevopoulos and his collection 'PARADI' is this AXDW's winner of the 'Best Designer' award. This award along with two others (to be presented in following post) are each season given to new designers, supporting their first steps in the field.

The winners are decided be a committee, this year comprising of: designer Vrettos Vrettakos, designer Vassilis Zoulias, Tsantilis' head byer Evina Papanikolaou, the prsident of Cyprus Designers Association Dora Schabel, the president of Μοda Lisboa Εduarda Abbordanza, the fashion director of Votre Beaute magazine Nikola Georgiou and Dimitris Serifis, the Group Manager Personal Care of Unilever Hellas.

Congrats to the winner, here are some pretty memorable backs by him:
(all photos in this post are by Patricia Munster)