Call it “Doric Minimalism”—Marios Schwab Celebrates Zeus+Dione’s 10th Anniversary in Athens

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Greek brand Zeus+Dione threw a festive bash in Athens on Friday, and creative director Marios Schwab went all out to honor the skills of the country’s artisans and the variety of its crafts.

“The narrative of the collection actually starts with the sound of craftsmen,” said the Greek-Austrian designer at a preview in the brand’s headquarters. He was appointed to the creative helm in 2020, after the pandemic brought him back to Greece. “Zeus+Dione was founded on the ethos of creating something out of synergies, collaborations, social engagement, environmental sensitivities, sustainability,” he explained. It’s a set of values he shares and wants to celebrate. To that end, he grounded the collection in a modern rendition of traditional artisanal codes. Its concise yet poetic “Doric minimalism” syncs up with today’s fashion trends.

“Zeus+Dione was born out an act of romantic dedication to preserve our Greek heritage,” said Dimitra Kolotoura, who launched the brand together with Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki (she recently stepped back from her role at the label after becoming Greece’s First Lady). Schwab definitely picked up on this sentiment for the collection, which was staged at sunset at Piraeus port in front of the historic WWII Hellas Liberty freighter, now housing a floating marine museum.

The invitation to the show, which he named Small Trades, came as a thin copper plate on which an image of traditional craft tools was screen printed. It was a clear indication of Schwab’s intentions. As craftsmanship across Greece changes by location, he looked at different métiers and mapped them together, weaving a sort of visual cartography of re-interpreted time-honored codes. 

Copper also served as a leitmotif, as it was an essential metal for the ancient Greeks. Copper panels were laid out on the dock as a sort of catwalk carpet, while a lustrous copper breastplate was appliquéd on a flowing black tunic and a copper-hued metallic shine graced a finely-pleated slip dress in soft leather.