Dimitris Dassios is a designer - New Age traveler, influenced by cultures around the world and the magic of the opera. Through his sources of inspiration, he shares a personal perspective for an authentic adventure on a garment; an adventure, which starts fro mjourneys all over the world and romantically brings us back to our real self. 

L.S.: How did you decide to cross over from the drama school and political science to fashion design?

D.D.: It was not exactly a decision.

While being involved with theater, I embarked intod esigning jewelry as a hobby. As time passed,what started as a hobby evolved, and at some point, I started collaborating with galleries and museums where I exhibited my creations.

Thanks to my participation in  the designers’ association and the fashion week we organized , Maria Luisa Poumaillou bought the collection for her shops in Paris. Two seasons later, Iintroduced  for the first time my denim jackets,which were decorated with oriental patterns and jewelry; and that is how I transitioned to the garment industry.

L.S.: What lies in the core of your fashion house mentality?

D.D.: It is all all about creating garments  influenced  byhistory and tradition, which result into modern dynamic items associated with modern women and suggesting new paths to the fashion world.

L.S.: Talk us a little bit about the denim jackets, which are considered very successful on an international level, given they are decorated with elements from authentic traditional outfits from all over the world.

D.D.: Denim jackets were my 1st idea in terms of garments.

The idea was born following a trip to Istanbul where I saw traditional oriental embroidery and outfits. 

That brought spontaneous sparks in my mind: I would decorate denims with those elements. I pursued with their creation; every piece is unique, made with authentic handmade elements.

The denims were my 1st big success on an international level, since the best shops and showrooms worldwide bought them. Ever since, this ideakeeps evolving (fortunately enough, I never run out of ideas on that level!), thus the denim jackets are my flagship product and the best sellers in every collection.

L.S.: What are your influences, in general?

D.D.: Most of the times, art (visual  arts, theater, music) is the  starting point of my influences and then  it moves forward to traditions and material I find in Greece or a broad. The fact that I am not in fluenced by fashion trends, probably allows me to maintain my creative identity intact and to always suggest something new, which at the same time is something unconventional.

L.S.: You seem to particularly love the opera and you have experimented several times with an unbelievable amalgam of romance and realism. To what extent does this theat rical aspect influence you?

D.D.: The theatrical aspect is an in trinsic trait of mine, most likely an experiential trait, which was further reinforced, at a later stage, through my studies on theater and opera as well as through my long experience in those genres as an interpreter. Given that they are a part of who I am, they often influence me. However, that does not stop my creations from being utterly wearable even in everyday life. They just have a touch of magic, which definitely includes theater and more particularly the opera, an aspect that always fascinates the receiver.

L.S.: You have travelled a lot and found a deep source of inspiration. Which was the journey that defined you as a designer?

D.D.: As I said before, it was the trip to Istanbul be cause it brought me closer to an oriental touch; it was also the  trip to Marrakesh, adestinati on where I always want to return to and of course Paris, the very heart of style and art. 

L.S.: The most recent journey of your fashion house was to your new art venue in Mykonos. Tell us a about it.

D.D.: The new venue in Mykonos opened just last year and it was the most recent business move of our brand because we were interested in a space accommodated within a Greek contextbut at the same time within an international context as well. From that point of view, Mykonos is the ideal place. Our experience from this project was very positive because beyond the commercial part, it was indeed an enchanting experience to meet brand fans from all over the world when they visited the place. I mean they are the people who wear your creations for years and promote your work on an international level.

L.S.: Could you name a few of the most memorable moments in your career?

D.D.: A very important moment indeed was when I met Maria Luisa Poumaillou in my fashion studio; she was literally thrilled, she bought my entire jewelry collection. Then, when, following my show “I Arta ke ta Yiannena”, Armand Hadida, the founder of Parisian boutique L’Eclaireur and the artistic director of the Paris trade show Tranoï, came to congratulate me and announced that the collection was already bought by his boutiques but also every time I meet a lady who is very happy to wear something I made.

L.S.: Tell us a about your current collection.

The current collection has a touch of Mykonos and of Greece in general, a trait that is adored a broad. As always, we work with natural fibers: linen, silk and cotton, which are body friendly, especially in Mediterranean climates. Kaftans, evening dresses, denim jackets and gilets, but also military style elements, they are always handmade and always made in house, in our fashion studio. A collection comprised of unique garments and a production process continuously supervised by me, even though itis a prêt-à-porter collection.

L.S.: Are there going to be any trends, within the next few months, or is it going to be all about authenticity, which always maintains the power of telling a lasting story and which eventually overrides the trends?

D.D.: I believe we are experiencing the end of trends and that consumers need something different, something thought-out and of fine quality, something timeless and inspirational. 

Credits : Kosmas Koumianos provided the photos from collections as well as Dimitris’ portrait. Model Vassiliki Roussou presents the summer collections and model Valentina Magaliou presents the winter collection.

Bio

Dimitris Dassios is one of the most active fashion designers in Greece, with a major presence in numerous significant fashion boutiques, galleries and modern art centers worldwide.

He was born in Athens where he studied Political Science before training as an actor and a classical singer. While establishing a longstanding career at the Greek National Opera, Dimitris Dassios was equally active in the design of costume jewelries, accessories and garments.

Dassios collections are constantly being presented at the New York, Milan and Paris fashion weeks and are included at high-end fashion boutiques all over the world.

Inspired by Greek tradition, as well as the cultures of other civilizations, Dimitris Dassios combines authentic, traditional, handmade, precious embroideries and other materials in his designs. His identity can be defined as “luxury ethnic chic” which is at the same time contemporary and dynamic, due to the modernity of the garments that he designs and the absence of any folklore elements.

The work on Dimitris Dassios’s clothes is often described as “Art” and he is a favorite designer of galleries and museums. His collections are always included in exhibitions related to the history of costume and culture, and he is personally interested in collaborations with photographers and artists given that art and tradition are the fundamental source of his inspiration.

Indicatively, some of the exhibitions he has participated in are:
Ptychoseis = Folds + Pleats at Benaki Museum, Endyesthai (To dress) at Benaki Museum, Beyond Dress Codes at Hellenic American Union, Patterns of Magnificence Tradition and Reinvention in Greek Women Costume at Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Centre, Doulamas the Magnificent at Benaki Museum, New Territories at Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum, Journey to the magic of Greek costume a collaboration of Benaki Museum with Costa Navarino and International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos in Athens, Orlando at Evripides Art Gallery, Inner Outfits at Hellenic American Union, Guilty Secret at Evripides Art Gallery and others.

Διευθύνσεις:

Atelier Dassios
35 Vasilissis Sofias Avenue,
106 75 Athens Greece

Boutique Dassios
31 Kalogera street
84600 Mykonos

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