The president of the Union of Greek Fashion Designers and daughter of one of the iconic creators in the golden years of Greek fashion, Dimitris Parthenis, Orsalia is proving to be a very capable heiress at the helm of the family brand Parthenis and with her vision she inspires respect among people in her field. Yet, young she had other plans for herself. "I wanted to be a mathematician or a physicist. At some point, I was also interested in law," she says."
"Finally, although I particularly loved dancing, at 17 I went to study Art History in America because I dreamed of being an art dealer. It was something I liked, but essentially I think what I was looking for was aesthetic cultivation and exposure to the arts. My studies helped me a lot to appreciate and understand the philosophy of the Parthenis brand, beyond the origins and personal experiences," she explains. It was very special for me at the time that they organised weddings with a specific theme, such as the Elizabethan era, and I had to find the right place to do the shoot. It's a great experience to work for an international publishing house." Returning to Greece in 1996, at the age of 24, she took over the family house, which she successfully leads to this day, taking the brand to its next steps.
I ask her how she managed to gain the respect of her colleagues. "It's a shame. I took over something that already had a historical value. Sometimes I jokingly say that I am the princess of Greek fashion. I say it as a joke, but it's also true. Some people, of course, think that I inherited all this. That's not exactly the case. On the other hand, I think that at the age I am today and after all I've done, I don't need to prove anything.
I basically respected what came into my hands and worked to preserve it, to develop it and take it further, to write the new chapters of history. And I did so with absolute consistency and dignity. And even though there is a perception that the second generation is destroying!", he stresses as we talk on the phone.
It's 9 in the morning. From the centre of Athens, where she lives with her husband of 15 years, Pantelis Goudis, and their two children, she walks with her dog to her workshop in Moschato. "It's a way to exercise, walk the dog and start the day with energy. I have two sons - 15 and 11 years old and therefore in their teens - and if I didn't have my husband's help, I admit that it would be difficult to cope with such a demanding profession," she refers to her husband, who is professionally involved in film and music as a marketer, and adds: "He is totally supportive, we discuss my work and exchange views. He follows everything. It was his idea to create my own e-shop many years ago."
If her husband is a milestone in her life, equally important for her and her career has been Dimitris Parthenis, her father and mentor: "I wanted to continue the vision of this man who once wrote the ultimate success story. For many years there was not a Greek woman who did not have at least one of his pieces in her wardrobe. The Parthenis brand was the big trend for decades. As for my father, he stood out for his passion, speed and innovative thinking. He was a whirlwind that swept everything around him. He exuded a rare creative energy."
At the Athens Xclusive Designers Week, Orsalia presented her new collection "Colorama" for the Spring-Summer 2023 season. "After the difficulties we went through as a society with the pandemic, we need colour. And I say that myself, who is obsessed with black," she admits. The "Colorama" collection remains true to Parthenis' DNA. This means that comfortable, loose lines that embrace the female silhouette, highlight the curves of the body and allow freedom of movement are the big protagonists. Her show was a hymn to elegance, comfort and the joy of life.
As president of the Association of Greek Designers for almost a year, Orsalia Parthenis has a willingness to set goals and produce work. "Our primary goal is to give Greek fashion the prestige it deserves. We would like to have a creative Fashion Academy through which new talents and the 'hands' that we are so lacking today will emerge. The successes of Greek designers abroad prove that there is both a vision and a willingness to get things done. Apart from the purely business reasons, it is worth stimulating an industry that is absolutely intertwined with culture. Especially in a country like Greece, where culture is an exportable goodwill."
Source: protothema.gr
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