Zeus & Dion- The Rebirth of Greek Craftmanship

Editor: Iris Zimble

Media: Zeus&Dione

Zeus+Dione was founded right after the Greek economic collapse in 2007 by Mareva Grabowski (wife of current PM of Greece), and Dimitra Kolotoura. The name is rooted in Greek mythology Zeus and Dione who were the parents of Aphrodite the goddess of love, beauty, and youth

Opening such a luxury and niche brand during the economic crisis may seem illogical; but Grabowski and Kolotoura had a vision to showcase Greek heritage They wanted to employ local artisans to showcase the Greek craftsmanship behind their clothing. They rediscovered the silk factory in Soufli, in the north of Greece next to the Greek and Turkish border. The factory had a low demand for supply, working at low capacity most of their machines were out of use. Soufli has a very long history with their silk. It has been said that during 550 AD two monks that came from China brought over silk tree seeds Soufli was one of the first towns in the west that started producing silk. Then in the 19th century modernized their production and became the pioneers of silk production in the Balkans.

Until the 1980s and 90s when cheaper silk from east Asia took over the market causing the collapse in the Silk trade of Greece. With Zeus + Dione and other Greek fashion houses, demand for Greek silk increased over the past decade and the factory was able to hire locals once again to start producing premium Greek silk The factory usually produces up to 6 kilometers of silk for each Zeus+Dione collection. There use of Greek craftsmanship is more than just silk, they use embroiders from the Greek cities of Agros (south-west of Athens), and Metsovo (North-West of Athens) Their knitwear is produced in the Cycladic islands and Attica. As for their handwoven patterns, come from the island of Crete.

Zeus+Dione doesn’t only promote premium clothing but also the history and craft of Greek artisans.