Fashion as a “weapon” for the promotion of Greek tourism

With the aim of highlighting and promoting thematic forms of tourism in Greece and especially cultural tourism with a focus on modern design based on sustainable productive and commercial practices, Hellenic Tourism Organization EOT has taken under its auspices three important international fashion events, which will take place next year during “Fashion Revolution Week 2021”.

In particular, from April 20 to 22, the 1st Fashion Open Studio is being organized online, in collaboration with Maison Faliakos, an environmentally sustainable and alternative proposal for the presentation of the work of a designer, in which famous designers from all over the world will participate, such as Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney.

Instead of a conventional fashion show, the designer opens his/her studio to welcome and guide the public, chat with them and answer questions. In this way, visitors have the opportunity to see where, how, and by whom the collections of fashion houses are produced, which have as their main axis the ecological practices of ethical and sustainable fashion (circular fashion, upcycling, etc.) .

In the same context, from April 23 to 25, the Raise Your Voice Festival 2021 will take place, a parallel event organized by civil society organizations, as well as government agencies. This festival is a tourist, artistic and cultural event and, among other things, the goal of the organizers is to inform the public about the circular economy and to present innovative and sustainable practices throughout the supply chain.

In addition, on April 20, “Wear Your Origins”, a digital training program to create clothing using the exclusive use of recycled and sustainable materials and local fabrics by 30 women, selected through an international competition, 15 of whom are victims of trafficking or at risk of exploitation.

During the program, the participating designers will have the opportunity to create their own fashion collection, based on folklore elements of their place of origin and, at the same time, patterns from the Greek tradition and the costumes of the Greek Revolution.

The implementation of the project has been undertaken by the Greek Social Cooperative Enterprise The Nest-SOFFA (Social Fashion Factory) and in it will host as guests, fashion designers from Greece and abroad, university professors, representatives of the Local Government, as well as executives from museums and international art institutions.

“Wear Your Origins” will be completed in November 2021 with the presentation of the final collections on the catwalks and on the international sustainable fashion platforms of “Fashion Revolution”, as well as their promotion through exclusive retailers around the world.