You might have passed by it without noticing. Perhaps because it was located a bit further back from the main pulse of the exhibition. Perhaps because Greek handmade jewelry often seems not to be in the spotlight it truly deserves. Yet, in recent years, the Design Section of the Athens International Jewelry Show has begun to carve out its own distinct space within the event. Bringing to the fore people who continue to create, experiment, and keep alive an art with a deep history in Greece.
In an era where mass production dominates, the world abroad is increasingly turning toward the authentic, the handmade—the object that carries history and a human imprint. And yet, while Greece possesses a vast tradition in silversmithing and goldsmithing, great artisans, and techniques passed down from generation to generation, we often seem to forget the potential of this cultural capital. We could perhaps have jewelry as a reference point for our country, just as the Swiss have watchmaking. Instead, we see valuable know-how and years of handmade techniques risking being lost, as fewer and fewer young people choose to follow this path.
And perhaps that is why it is worth lingering a bit longer on these creators. Because behind every bench, there is not simply a brand or a jewelry collection. There are people trying to keep an art alive. A creative process and an entire culture that continues to evolve over time.
These are the creators who staffed this year's Design Section of AIJS. People with different backgrounds, aesthetics, and philosophies. Who every year give a new character and a new identity to this part of the exhibition. Proving that contemporary Greek handmade jewelry still has a lot to say.
In this first part, we present three designers. There will be two more parts.
Maria Psarianou
Maria Psarianou lives and creates in Thessaloniki, having dedicated almost three decades to handmade jewelry. Her journey began in 1995, initially as a handmade jewelry instructor at the Mokume school, while her personal workshop now boasts 26 years of creative presence.
A central element of her work is the pearl, a material she considers alive, timeless, and full of character. Combined with gold and silver, she creates jewelry that balances between elegance and naturalness. For her, the most powerful moment of the process is when an idea is born in the mind and gradually begins to take shape through her hands.
For the past three years, she has been participating in the Designer Section of AJA, a space that she hopes will continue to be supported by both the organization and the people in the jewelry industry. She believes that this specific part of the exhibition has the potential to evolve into an essential meeting point for contemporary Greek jewelry and its creators.
Her creations are hosted in jewelry stores and galleries in Greece and Europe, while she believes that Greek handmade jewelry, through the strength and talent of its creators, can become an essential cultural pillar for the country, provided it receives the support and recognition it deserves from the Greek state.
9 Petrou Levanti, Panorama, Thessaloniki
2310 276701
Maria Fotopoulou
Maria Fotopoulou has been active in the jewelry field since 2000, having completed her studies in Greece, Italy, and England. Based in Thessaloniki, where her workshop is located, she is engaged in jewelry design and manufacturing, while concurrently teaching design and construction techniques at public and private educational institutions since 2003.
Her creative process is born through the observation and interpretation of nature. She constantly experiments with different techniques and raw materials, such as gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls, transferring organic forms and dynamic natural shapes into her creations. Through processes based on the control of pressure and temperature, she often allows the material itself to function autonomously, enabling textures and forms to be born naturally before being transformed into jewelry.
For her, this relationship between control and the freedom of matter constitutes an essential part of the creation as well as the evolution of her collections. Her creations maintain a calm, organic aesthetic, where nature and material seem to coexist harmoniously.
For the past three years, she has been participating in the Design Section of the Athens International Jewelry Show, while her jewelry is hosted in galleries and selected stores.
17 Nikis Avenue, Thessaloniki
+30 2310 222 214
+30 6936 907839
fotopouloumariajeweller
Lefteris Margaritis
Lefteris Margaritis has been active in the jewelry field since 1996, having built a long-standing career combining design, manufacturing, and creative direction in high jewelry. A graduate of applied arts and the MOKUME school, he founded his personal workshop in 2004 in the center of Athens, where to this day he creates jewelry with a strong aesthetic identity and timeless character.
Over the years, he has collaborated with major brands in Greece and abroad, while having held positions such as General Manager, Product Manager, and Exclusive Designer in well-known companies within the Greek jewelry market. At the same time, his work has stood out in jewelry design competitions, and his entries have also been featured in major international design and contemporary jewelry exhibitions.
His creations revolve around gold, diamonds, and precious stones. With the primary goal of expressing the personal style, aesthetics, and emotion of the wearer, his design balances classic elegance with contemporary aesthetics, creating jewelry with a strong character yet timelessness.
His jewelry is available through selected stores in Greece and abroad. Meanwhile, when he thinks of Greek handmade jewelry, art, culture, and tradition come to his mind in a continuous dialogue with contemporary design.
7 Karageorgi Servias St, Athens
+30 210 645 7471
+30 697 00 29294
lefterismargaritis.com
Published in Venetico magazine issue 125.
