PIC_2000_1:
Interview
The uncommon world of
Eleni Kavvada
Seeing her and her work it’s easy to understand that Eleni Kavvada was destined to become a fashion designer. Ever since she was a child she would modify her barbies’ clothes, observe her mom getting dressed and prepare her holiday suitcase with extra care while matching her own outfits.
Finishing school, she only saw one option for her vocational training and that was of course fashion. She studied in Milan and Florence and did her practice at the house of Salvatore Ferragamo. That summer she came home for holidays, intending to return to Italy and go on with her job, but her acquaintance with the designer Yiorgos Eleftheriades made her change plans! She stayed in Athens and worked beside him for five and a half years. Meanwhile, she became very active in creating theatre costumes and performance garments that seem to have influenced overall her identity as a designer.
Now at the age of 28 she is the creative mind behind the brand 240791ek and she has just launched her first capsule collection.
Text by
Nikki P.
Artwork by
George velissarios
What is the idea behind your first capsule collection?
This collection is the outcome of a huge need to express myself – it’s like a “creative outburst”. I isolated myself in my studio with plenty of music, coffee and many bolts of jeans and a month or so later this small collection was complete. I wanted to experiment myself with the 3D concept in general and see how this kind of creations could be done using more traditional ways than the technology of a 3D printer (hey Irvis Van Herpen). So what you see is totally hand made!
Describe a typical day of yours
A typical day includes waking up reasonably (meaning not too) early – I am in a period that I try to rest a lot! After the first cup of coffee I head to my workplace, where there is this beautiful daylight that has literally transformed my life for the best. There my daily journey begins! When I have a busy day I go by the book in order to manage the things I have to do but if my schedule is not that heavy, I let myself free to see where this will take me. I work long hours, as I engage in all steps of the process, from the design and the pattern of a piece to its actual making – this is something that has helped me acquire 360° knowledge of my profession. My day usually ends with an intense session at the gym and relaxation at home.
How does this job shape your character?
What I have learnt, having worked as assistant to another designer for many years is that “success” means to consider what you do, the most important project of the world. No matter how it will end, who will see it or what impact it will have on others – it is essential to be able to put your soul in anything you do. Another very important thing this job teaches you is patience, as what you are doing today may not be relatable and make you feel that there is no space for you in the current staff. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to abandon your personality so as to fit in- on the contrary you must do exactly the opposite. It is important to be and feel modern, but you must always protect and honour what makes you unique and all the rest will follow.
Do you believe in trends?
That’s a lot of discussion. Trends are questionable. In earlier times, they were the face control of history, that’s why the previous decades had their own, now iconic, style: they all wore flairs and trinkets in the 70s, permed their hair in the 80s, you can’t think of the 60s without fantasising girls with mini skirts. You can’t question the capitalistic nature of trends but those times peoples’ attraction to them was more genuine, probably because they were something new. Today, when more or less everything has been done and we can’t really speak of true originality in creation trends have become ephemeral and kind of flashy, since, with all this storm of information by the social media, we do not get easily impressed anymore. Ok, there is still this convenient vulnerability towards fashion that perpetuates their appeal, but as time goes by their influence won’t be that important. Personally I prefer to believe in a “twisted” timelessness, depending on the social and financial status of the world each time.
PIC_2000_1:
How useful is the job of the designer?
In terms of plain usage, I think our job is pure luxury. People can survive getting dressed merely with jeans and T-shirts. But it is the same as with art – nobody needs it for practical reasons, but it helps us evolve, it activates us, it reveals a small dreamy universe, so intense and fascinating that can make us see beyond the obvious and take a life-saving dive to the unknown. Yes, when it comes to survival art is not considered vital but in a deeper sense of the world it surely is, without it our suffering brains would be too square to decode the world.
So, what would we actually lose if fashion disappeared in a moment?
It would be like taking away the taste from food. You would satisfy your hunger but you wouldn’t enjoy your meal. Apart from that, I think that without the idea of fashion, that like it or not, puts people in a constant pursuit of a current elite status, people could somehow be more liberated, without any suppressive dos and don’ts until – guess what – they got bored!
You favorite designers over the years
For me the elite of designers and those who have been real pioneers at their kind are the following four: Yamamoto, Kawakubo, Margiela and Westwood. I watch and admire many creators, but those four are the ones who laid the foundations for post modern design and I think they will continue to be source of inspiration for new creators for many more years.
Do you read about fashion, how do you keep yourself updated?
I watch all shows every season, as I am very interested in what both the veterans and the independent designers propose and choose to bring in the foreground. Right now we are going through a very interesting time in fashion, I think it’s the most transitional phase of the last 20 years and you can see that in the collections, the raw materials and all the changes that are taking place in the biggest houses.
Give us your definition of style. Is there a golden rule?
For me style is a pyramid, in which clothes reside at the basement. It consists of more important elements such as kindness, good intentions, constant curiosity and optimism. Style is the way you speak, how you place yourself opposite the current affairs, how you disagree with someone or how you choose to encourage somebody instead of envying them. Style is a whole packet that stands out due to its content and not its flamboyant wrapping. If you are being rude, your perfectly matched shoes and bag won’t save you and when you are kind, you don’t even need them.
PIC_2000_1:
So what would you change in the world in terms of style if you could?
I would expect more freedom and open-mindedness in our times – I mean although we are leaving in the “high-tech” 2020, our society is very conservative and phobic. It seems a little bit crazy that for example a boy wearing a skirt and makeup cannot go around without being judgmentally noticed. Wake up people. Its 2020.
Where have you seen the most well dressed people in the world?
I think it was in Iceland. Well dressed not in the typical sense of the word, but as a cute combination of the current weather conditions and their need for personal expression. I loved the knit overalls, matched with corporate shirts underneath, multicolored faux fur and raincoats and après ski boots. There was this cool freedom and creativity that I value a lot.
What is the most creative thing you do in your daily routine apart from your job?
Since my job is my hobby and vice versa, the second favourite thing in my life which also gives me a remarkable amount of food for thought is a good, honest conversation. I have been pretty stubborn myself and these last years I have made a serious effort to listen to others and allow them to influence me, in a way that I can improve myself. I enjoy tremendously a spontaneous conversation with a stranger and I find very redeeming the intimate talks you have with a friend.
What is it that you like and what you dislike in the new generation?
I belong in a generation that grew up through the financial crisis and this has had its impact. I do admire my peers for their constant pursuit and need to express themselves, while the odds are against them. On the other hand, this entire obsession with career and professional success at the expense of physical health and inner peace really worries me.
What’s your kind of music?
I am really lucky because my friends are experts when it comes to music, so they keep feeding me with the coolest new staff that I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. Deep in my heart though, I am a girl of the psychedelic 70s and fan of the punk and rock’n’roll scene. From time to time I am pleasantly amazed by the sound of some local bands – there is a lot going on at the moment. I do not have a music idol, favorite song, movie or author, my preferences change depending on my mood and what’s going on around me.
PIC_2000_1:
Do you have a dream? What is your goal in life?
My personal goal is to keep evolving in life, having beside me all these amazing people that I am happy to call friends and family, as they are the undisputed core of my daily life. I want to manage to keep my spirit up and not lose my optimism, despite the harsh times. I want to be able to maintain this notion that a sunny day can rescue my sanity. As regards my professional status I do not know –I guess time will tell!
Photography
@velissarios_j_george
Style
@nikipagiataki
Muah
@maryloutzi
Models
@rea_avantage, @willyvittorio (@agenciamodels_athens), @martabuikoo (@ace_models_athens)
Shot at @artbatterystudio
PIC_2000_1:
Interview
The uncommon world
of Eleni Kavvada
Seeing her and her work it’s easy to understand that Eleni Kavvada was destined to become a fashion designer. Ever since she was a child she would modify her barbies’ clothes, observe her mom getting dressed and prepare her holiday suitcase with extra care while matching her own outfits.
Finishing school, she only saw one option for her vocational training and that was of course fashion. She studied in Milan and Florence and did her practice at the house of Salvatore Ferragamo. That summer she came home for holidays, intending to return to Italy and go on with her job, but her acquaintance with the designer Yiorgos Eleftheriades made her change plans! She stayed in Athens and worked beside him for five and a half years. Meanwhile, she became very active in creating theatre costumes and performance garments that seem to have influenced overall her identity as a designer.
Now at the age of 28 she is the creative mind behind the brand 240791ek and she has just launched her first capsule collection.
Text by
Nikki P.
Artwork by
George velissarios
What is the idea behind your first capsule collection?
This collection is the outcome of a huge need to express myself – it’s like a “creative outburst”. I isolated myself in my studio with plenty of music, coffee and many bolts of jeans and a month or so later this small collection was complete. I wanted to experiment myself with the 3D concept in general and see how this kind of creations could be done using more traditional ways than the technology of a 3D printer (hey Irvis Van Herpen). So what you see is totally hand made!
Describe a typical day of yours
A typical day includes waking up reasonably (meaning not too) early – I am in a period that I try to rest a lot! After the first cup of coffee I head to my workplace, where there is this beautiful daylight that has literally transformed my life for the best. There my daily journey begins! When I have a busy day I go by the book in order to manage the things I have to do but if my schedule is not that heavy, I let myself free to see where this will take me. I work long hours, as I engage in all steps of the process, from the design and the pattern of a piece to its actual making – this is something that has helped me acquire 360° knowledge of my profession. My day usually ends with an intense session at the gym and relaxation at home.
How does this job shape your character?
What I have learnt, having worked as assistant to another designer for many years is that “success” means to consider what you do, the most important project of the world. No matter how it will end, who will see it or what impact it will have on others – it is essential to be able to put your soul in anything you do. Another very important thing this job teaches you is patience, as what you are doing today may not be relatable and make you feel that there is no space for you in the current staff. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to abandon your personality so as to fit in- on the contrary you must do exactly the opposite. It is important to be and feel modern, but you must always protect and honour what makes you unique and all the rest will follow.
Do you believe in trends?
That’s a lot of discussion. Trends are questionable. In earlier times, they were the face control of history, that’s why the previous decades had their own, now iconic, style: they all wore flairs and trinkets in the 70s, permed their hair in the 80s, you can’t think of the 60s without fantasising girls with mini skirts. You can’t question the capitalistic nature of trends but those times peoples’ attraction to them was more genuine, probably because they were something new. Today, when more or less everything has been done and we can’t really speak of true originality in creation trends have become ephemeral and kind of flashy, since, with all this storm of information by the social media, we do not get easily impressed anymore. Ok, there is still this convenient vulnerability towards fashion that perpetuates their appeal, but as time goes by their influence won’t be that important. Personally I prefer to believe in a “twisted” timelessness, depending on the social and financial status of the world each time.
PIC_2000_1:
How useful is the job of the designer?
In terms of plain usage, I think our job is pure luxury. People can survive getting dressed merely with jeans and T-shirts. But it is the same as with art – nobody needs it for practical reasons, but it helps us evolve, it activates us, it reveals a small dreamy universe, so intense and fascinating that can make us see beyond the obvious and take a life-saving dive to the unknown. Yes, when it comes to survival art is not considered vital but in a deeper sense of the world it surely is, without it our suffering brains would be too square to decode the world.
So, what would we actually lose if fashion disappeared in a moment?
It would be like taking away the taste from food. You would satisfy your hunger but you wouldn’t enjoy your meal. Apart from that, I think that without the idea of fashion, that like it or not, puts people in a constant pursuit of a current elite status, people could somehow be more liberated, without any suppressive dos and don’ts until – guess what – they got bored!
You favorite designers over the years
For me the elite of designers and those who have been real pioneers at their kind are the following four: Yamamoto, Kawakubo, Margiela and Westwood. I watch and admire many creators, but those four are the ones who laid the foundations for post modern design and I think they will continue to be source of inspiration for new creators for many more years.
Do you read about fashion, how do you keep yourself updated?
I watch all shows every season, as I am very interested in what both the veterans and the independent designers propose and choose to bring in the foreground. Right now we are going through a very interesting time in fashion, I think it’s the most transitional phase of the last 20 years and you can see that in the collections, the raw materials and all the changes that are taking place in the biggest houses.
Give us your definition of style. Is there a golden rule?
For me style is a pyramid, in which clothes reside at the basement. It consists of more important elements such as kindness, good intentions, constant curiosity and optimism. Style is the way you speak, how you place yourself opposite the current affairs, how you disagree with someone or how you choose to encourage somebody instead of envying them. Style is a whole packet that stands out due to its content and not its flamboyant wrapping. If you are being rude, your perfectly matched shoes and bag won’t save you and when you are kind, you don’t even need them.
PIC_2000_1:
So what would you change in the world in terms of style if you could?
I would expect more freedom and open-mindedness in our times – I mean although we are leaving in the “high-tech” 2020, our society is very conservative and phobic. It seems a little bit crazy that for example a boy wearing a skirt and makeup cannot go around without being judgmentally noticed. Wake up people. Its 2020.
Where have you seen the most well dressed people in the world?
I think it was in Iceland. Well dressed not in the typical sense of the word, but as a cute combination of the current weather conditions and their need for personal expression. I loved the knit overalls, matched with corporate shirts underneath, multicolored faux fur and raincoats and après ski boots. There was this cool freedom and creativity that I value a lot.
What is the most creative thing you do in your daily routine apart from your job?
Since my job is my hobby and vice versa, the second favourite thing in my life which also gives me a remarkable amount of food for thought is a good, honest conversation. I have been pretty stubborn myself and these last years I have made a serious effort to listen to others and allow them to influence me, in a way that I can improve myself. I enjoy tremendously a spontaneous conversation with a stranger and I find very redeeming the intimate talks you have with a friend.
What is it that you like and what you dislike in the new generation?
I belong in a generation that grew up through the financial crisis and this has had its impact. I do admire my peers for their constant pursuit and need to express themselves, while the odds are against them. On the other hand, this entire obsession with career and professional success at the expense of physical health and inner peace really worries me.
What’s your kind of music?
I am really lucky because my friends are experts when it comes to music, so they keep feeding me with the coolest new staff that I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. Deep in my heart though, I am a girl of the psychedelic 70s and fan of the punk and rock’n’roll scene. From time to time I am pleasantly amazed by the sound of some local bands – there is a lot going on at the moment. I do not have a music idol, favorite song, movie or author, my preferences change depending on my mood and what’s going on around me.
PIC_2000_1:
Do you have a dream? What is your goal in life?
My personal goal is to keep evolving in life, having beside me all these amazing people that I am happy to call friends and family, as they are the undisputed core of my daily life. I want to manage to keep my spirit up and not lose my optimism, despite the harsh times. I want to be able to maintain this notion that a sunny day can rescue my sanity. As regards my professional status I do not know –I guess time will tell!
Photography
@velissarios_j_george
Style
@nikipagiataki
Muah
@maryloutzi
Models
@rea_avantage, @willyvittorio (@agenciamodels_athens), @martabuikoo (@ace_models_athens)
Shot at @artbatterystudio