The exhibition will bring thirty two of the most splendid examples to London for the first time. They include the richly embroidered costume from Astypalaia in the Dodecanese, the astonishing assembly of fabrics, colours and jewellery from Stefanoviki in Thessaly and the superbly brocaded dress from Jannina in Epirus. The exhibition will also illustrate the interplay of native tradition and western aesthetic by displaying the court dress of the first Queen of the independent Greek state, Amalia of Oldenburg and that of her successor at the end of the nineteenth century, Queen Olga, the Russian-born consort of King George I. These splendid costumes represent a synthesis that is emblematic of nineteenth century nation building. All but two of the costumes come from the superb collection of the Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation in Nafplio. The other two are being lent by The Benaki Museum of Athens. The curator of the exhibition is the Foundation’s director and renowned expert, Ioanna Papandoniou. The designer is Stamatis Zannos.

For more information, please visit The Hellenic Centre.