Though she runs an established jewellery and objets boutique in Greece, when it comes to imagining new collections, Greek jeweller Lito Karakostanoglou casts a wide cultural net. But then she’s enjoyed a global career, including a stint in US advertising and studies in sculpture and technical drawing in Paris. It was in the French capital that, during the 2000s, Lito started designing for fashion houses including Jean-Paul Gaultier and Kenzo, before finally heading back to Athens to establish her eponymous jewellery house.
Paris, however, is still a constant draw, and it was during a recent Fashion Week trip that Lito started to further explore the city’s art deco heritage. ‘I went to the library, collected a lot of images, bought books, took pictures, headed back to Greece and started listening to jazz,’ she recalls. ‘All these references put me so in the mood, that I started designing.’
The result is ‘Paris 1925’, a suite of jewels created in homage to the upcoming centenary of the city’s ‘Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes’, the exhibition that gave the art deco movement its name. By softening the exact geometry and avant-garde froideur of the era’s graphic style, Lito’s collection of dancing, tactile jewellery designs coupled with the designer's all-round lightness of touch, sets them free in a collection shimmering with sensuality. Here the jewellery designer singles out the thinking behind three key pieces:
‘I Put a Spell on You’ ring
‘This was the first piece I designed for the collection, while I listened to Nina Simone singing “I Put a Spell on You”. The ring feels deco, flamboyant, like holding a cigarette, and the amethyst at the centre, though smooth and domed on the top, is faceted underneath, so it came with a geometry of its own. I picked this stone up years ago in Jaipur, and I’ve always been drawn to how mysterious it feels – deep purple, glowing, and almost magical. There’s a hidden coral bead at the back, which I added to stop the ring tipping when worn, but it worked so well with the overall design that it has become part of the story. That coral, amethyst and the little diamonds all balance each other beautifully, I think. Together, they make this ring feel bold, elegant, and just a tiny bit theatrical.'
‘That’s my Desire’ necklace
‘The inspiration for this piece came from a vintage early 20th-century necklace I found. It had four strands of gold chain, and I became obsessed with capturing its art deco elegance. It made me think of Paul Poiret and how he wasn’t just designing clothes but incredible interiors, too. Poiret's use of fabric, the way he draped it so it flowed, really struck me, and it's that fluidity that I wanted to capture with this necklace. The way the chains fall make it feel like liquid gold against the skin because they move with you, so it feels almost alive. Then there are the details – the ends of the strands are paved with diamonds in clean, faceted lines, which add a kind of art deco architecture. I named it after Louis Armstrong singing “That’s My Desire”.’
‘Fallin’ Love’ earrings
'When I wear these earrings I want to move but then, as a designer, I am generally more into the movement and volume of a piece than its structure. Here, the earring tassels add a lightness and freedom – a sense of dancing to the design. That's why I looked for super-light chains with just the right amount of sparkle, iridescence and gleam. I have pared back the gold because I don't want the heaviness. The gold is there simply as a frame for the beautiful rubies, sapphires and moonstones, and not to make the jewels "weighty". The "Fallin Love" earrings are designed to feel in tune with your skin. So many jazz songs talk about falling in love, and that's the feeling I wanted to capture.'
