Victoria Mindova
If you want a little romance and beauty from the good old black and white movies of the 30s, 40s and 50s, where women are always elegant and men are always gallant, then you should meet Eirini, Viveta, Manos and Mariangela. They are at the core of the spontaneous newly arising movement in Athens, which is based on retro beauty in all its forms. To the question "Where does this love for retro style come from?" our four heroes answered separately that they have always been attracted to the romance of the middle of last century - known from films, songs and books of this time. Flower in the hair, cotton dress and red lips as sweet as wild strawberry is the description suitable for the girls, who GRReporter met on Vintage & Crafts Bazaar at Indigo bar on Exarhia Square in Athens this weekend.
Eirini and Viveta are the initiators of the bazaar, where clothes and accessories similar to those from the old films can be found. There you will see long evening dresses from the noir films of Rita Hayworth, to complete swimsuits that resemble the casual freshness of the notorious Betty Page - all of the above is inspired by the romanticism of the past and include popular styles from the 30s to late 50s. Eirini makes handmade hair accessories, earrings, bracelets and pendants, and her friend and collaborator in common endeavors, Viveta, makes framed embroidery. They are also the founders of the group Les Broderies Anglaises. Basically it is a female community where women of all ages, active in the modern, fast-paced life of the twenty-first century, devote some time during the week to get acquainted and to learn purely female pursuits of past eras.
Their goal and desire, which define their lives today, is to restore the forgotten past values and traditions, and share them with all women who are interested. They are in a dancing group, they organize seminars on manual work, attend swing school and many other activities that give a different touch to the daily grind.
Lately, pop culture and fashion magazines tend to return to the old Hollywood glamor. This is why Eirini, who is a stylist by profession says: "It has happened in my job for someone to ask me to create the well-known pin-up design, but unfortunately fashion magazines never want the authentic look. The retro look is sought after through the prism of pop, such as Katy Perry. I personally do not like this. I love the authenticity, as it was back then". This is why their group motto is “To go back! "- from furniture to cars, clothes, attitudes and everything.
Eirini explained that when she plunged full force into her passion for fashion from the 40's and 50's of the 20th century, her parents have reacted very sharply. "They could not understand how much I love this age and they kept asking me why I dress with grandmotherly clothes," she told with some humor. Her family saw her style as a deviation from the correct and accepted and did not support her. "According to them if you are a young girl you should look something like Eleni Menegaki – this is what they know and this is what they expect." Eirini’s hand-made jewelry and lace hair flowers, together with the workshops of Les Broderies Anglaises have proved so successful that they have convinced even the most skeptical that this is not just fashion but a way of life for her.
Right now the girls are planning the next event which will be a picnic for all who wish to enjoy nature and hand-baked cookies and home patties. "The idea of the picnic is just to have a good time, but not in the usual way as it happens in cities - to go out in the city center, to a restaurant in the evening or in the neighborhood cafe, but to spend a more humanly time out. There will be music and songs, but people will be in a simpler more natural environment."
"I will not forget what my old dance teacher told me: when people started to dance separately in the 60's and later with the advent of the Twist, elegance in the relationship between man and woman started disappearing. Touch is extremely important to people. So dancing in pairs such as rock-and-roll and swing, in an indirect way, teach how a man should treat a woman. How can he touch her, how to flirt, but to be elegant," says Eirini.
With the same agrees also Manos, who is the owner of the first pure rockabilly bar in Athens, Blue Fox. There you can listen to swing, bi-bop and rock-N-roll from the 30's, 40's and 50's, and the design reminds of the romantic mood from Elvis' "Blue Hawaii". He and his girlfriend often organize parties at the club and give free lessons to visitors who want to learn the basic swing steps. His bar exists for almost four years now and is one of the most interesting places that one can visit in Athens at night.
Before the success of the Blue Fox, Manos has worked as a helper in various storages. "I always had a dream to one day open my own bar," admits the man and adds: "Perhaps I would have never really make up my mind to make this step if it was not for my girlfriend. She supported me and stands right next to me. So when I made up my mind I knew exactly what I wanted to do." Manos says that the older ages have always fascinated him, so he wanted his bar to be dedicated to that era.
He is also the organizer of the dance group Rollin Foxes, which for the first time last week came out of the Blue Fox and organized a dance day out at the foot of the Acropolis. "It was a wonderful experience. Many people supported us and many others were attracted by the dancing and music. We had a lot of fun and people responded with positive energy. A street band also joined us and somehow, spontaneously, the mood was great," described Manos the first day of Rollin Foxes in the open.
According to him the crisis has given impetus to many people to turn to dancing. Very often due to financial or other reasons, social life in Greece has changed in the last two years. People do not go out to restaurants, shopping and do not have fun as often as before. However, they need to unblock the accumulated energy somewhere. "Dancing is a very good medicine for shaking off the stress. It is not a coincidence that during this period there is so much interest in dance, just as the economic crisis and insecurity in the future exacerbated.” Manos said that swing and rock-N-roll are dances, which allow for people to touch directly or to communicate with one another in a different way under the rhythm of the music. "Those dances are not danced alone, which is the advantage of the old school," add seminar participants.
Last but not least is Mariangela, who about three years ago "brought" the classic swing to Athens. She was the founder of the classic swing dance school in Athens Lindy Hop, which in 2008 had seven or eight students, and today it has over 150. Mariangela explained that Lindy Hop is actually an authentic swing dance that was born in Harlem clubs during the Great Depression. "Lindy Hop is not the swing of ballrooms but the one known from old Hollywood movies.” She says that those who want to learn Lindy Hop are all kinds of people - doctors, IT specialists, students and many others. "You do not need to be crazy for retro, to do the swing. It is just easy, enjoyable and fun.” Lindy Hoppers themselves (as she calls them) are a great community, often organizing workshops in which swing teachers participate from all over the world.
In addition to teaching the swing, Mariangela is specializing in producing clothes from the 40's and 50's of last century. The brand is called Miss Cherry Pie Clothing and the dresses, are an exact replica of the modern lines of that time. “From the silhouette to the buttons, everything is made as the authentic models. The dresses come in very beautiful colors and patterns, and form that is extremely flattering to the female body.” She explained that recent big brands are turning to old trends. "Up until few years ago you could not find a plain lady’s plaid shirt in Athens. I was going around fabrics shops and I was sewing my own models. I was wearing them with jeans with a lapel-style from the 50s."
Just like her adherents, Mariangela is also from the people who do not wait for someone to show them the way, but they build it themselves. I cannot not mention that the feeling reigning in the retro bazaar at Indigo Bar was very soft and friendly that can rarely be felt in the Greek capital. Mariangela explained that all involved in the retro bazaar this spring have been friends for years. "Our common love for these times had linked us," she admitted. And as a lesson to all who believe that Greeks cannot be solidified, she added: "We are a small circle of friends with a common passion, so we help each other and thus move forward."
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