It was while studying at Central Saint Martins in 2017 that then-MA Womenswear student, Eftychia Karamolegkou, felt compelled to experiment with myriad aesthetics to birth something new and innovative. Her love for men’s tailoring simultaneously met a marriage of the mundane and luxury – and, tying in her personal stamp of clean-cut, self-assured shapes – her namesake label, EFTYCHIA, was conceived.
Since founding the label in 2018, her oversized, androgenic pieces – like strong suiting and loose shirting – have piqued the interests of the global style set. CSM’s renowned 1 Granary platform spotted and selected her for their VOID exhibition in London, New York and Copenhagen – where she was discovered by Opening Ceremony and Machine A – and in March, we saw her reach the semi-finals for the prestigious LVMH Prize.
And what makes the Santorini native so en vogue? Her shapes push womenswear in a direction that generations of yore would long to live in (we're talking about the Victorians and their corsets, natch), and the innate power of her designs breed an inner (and outwardly-facing!) confidence.
Intrigued to learn of what informs her creative process, we asked Eftychia to document her day-to-day and inspirations with us.
“I don't know if I'm more of a morning or night person but I can concentrate much better during the evening. I work better when it’s dark outside, but I really really like to try and wake up early in the morning. One of my favourite rituals is to get up and grab a coffee from the cafe on the corner.”
“I live and work in Hackney Wick – and I’ve been here since 2011. It’s a constant construction site, every week another old building is knocked down for a new multi-storey to appear…”
“I’m inspired by a bit of everything. I always have a very specific woman in mind – a self sufficient one, that doesn't rely on others – she doesn't feel the need to prove herself to anyone. Each season I’m building around her personality."
"Usually, I start from a text I read in a book or a magazine, a picture or a garment I’ve found and so on. This season, I was looking at a lot of photographs of Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston when they were together in the 1970s.”
“My favourite part of creating a collection is the research process! I love looking through old magazines and going to flea markets and thrift stores to search for something that will grab my attention. It's like putting the pieces of a puzzle together."
“I work in an old warehouse. What I love the most about it are its two massive windows that let the light in when it's sunny. It’s amazing! Lately I've been stuck listening to Billy Idol – I'm playing ‘White Wedding’ on repeat at the moment.”
“I do what I do, because by creating a collection/a visual world, it’s my medium to translate what is going on around me and convey my view points."
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