Celebrating the sheer force of carefree female beauty and wholly inspired by authentic Greek style, Ancient Kallos – its name comes from the Greek word for beauty – is the first ever Greek resort-wear brand. The label, created by Labrini and Stella Stavrou, was conceptualized while the Thessaloniki sisters were both on holiday – one on Santorini and the other on Ithaca. Around them they noticed a distinct lack of chic, quality clothing made in and, above all, inspired by Greece. Realizing that the clothes available at island boutiques fell into two main categories – cheap, low quality, mass-produced ethnic garb or pricey designer-wear from abroad – the sisters came up with the bright idea of creating their own unique brand.
“I’m an architect and my sister has been working in our family’s clothing business for 20 years,” Labrini Stavrou says, “so we each brought our own know-how and vision to the project. We have a very similar outlook and work excellently as a team, which has made this a great experience for both of us.”
Their inspiration and enthusiasm shines through in their creations, earning Ancient Kallos a nationwide fan club and attracting growing interest from abroad, with their products sold as far and wide as Miami, Thailand and, soon, Barcelona.
“The woman we design for loves making the most of her summer and has a unique sense of style,” Stavrou tells Greece Is. The designer duo are thrilled by the fact that their clothing and accessories are enjoyed by women of all nationalities, who travel here on holiday and return home with Ancient Kallos creations.
As resort wear, the timeless Ancient Kallos designs are made to enhance the spring/summer wardrobe of modish holidaymakers by adding a breezy, quirky, feminine and authentic note in Greek island style. Their clothes are themed and named after idyllically beautiful and culturally rich islands such as Lefkada, Delos, Ios, Milos, Sifnos, Anafi and Crete. Especially popular was their “Greek coins” pattern, which was designed by the sisters.
The brand, in which the “o” in Kallos is meant to symbolize the sun (and in their logo, the dot within the same letter represents willpower), features belted and tasseled dresses, T-shirts, shirts, cover-ups, jumpsuits, shorts, shirtdresses, sarongs, beach bags and towels. Apart from the overall look, what makes the line stand out most are the intricate traditional Greek embroideries adorning the clothing, with each item based on authentic designs from different Greek islands. Many items are made of broderie or macrame cotton, silk and guipure lace.
“Our 2016 collection (out in April) will be one step up from what we’ve already achieved,” Stavrou says. “Without giving away too much, I can tell you that we have added color to the Ancient Kallos brand (the 2015 line was all black, gray or white). My sister and I actually took to the lab and designed the exact tones we had envisioned for our designs!”
Stavrou adds that children will also be able to enjoy being part of the Ancient Kallos world: “The new collection will also include a ‘mini-me’ line, with kaftans for kids,” she says.
Naturally, all the Ancient Kallos products are manufactured in Greece and can currently be sought out at Sloane in Thessaloniki, the city where the Ancient Kallos brand is based and manufactured, Bettina or Detroit in Athens, selected island boutiques (on Santorini, Paros, Mykonos, Patmos) as well as online.
