andhowwearemovingtowardthefuture.Thishashelped andreadsRolandBarthes,RaymondRoussel,AndréBreton methinkaboutwhatImyselfamdoingrightnow.” andJean-PierreVernantintheoriginal,andhascarefullykept ShereturnedtoDelphi,“anintense,mysticalplace;itseffect the1924 Frenchdictionarydedicatedbyherfather.“Christiana ishardtodescribeinthatitcomesfrombothitsmagicalmis- workswiththeideaoffragments,whichfascinatesme,” sionanditsenvironment,fromtheruinsclingingtothemoun- explainsthedesigner.Thetwowomenheldlongphone tainside.”Shecameacrosssmallvotivefigurinesfromthe conversations.Theydiscussedfragmentsaspiecesthatfitinto Mycenaeancivilization,whosefemininityiscompressedintoa awhole.Theybroughtupde Chirico,hisblindingGreeklight, simpleform,withraisedarms,pointedbreastsandprotruding nudgingupagainstcutoutshadows.Andperhapstheyalso eyes,andaveilpaintedwithstripes.Thiswastheimpetusto talkedaboutDelphi,theplacetowhichPierreCarron,Soulou’s seekmoreinformationattheMuseumofCycladicArtinAth- formerprofessorattheBeaux-ArtsschoolinParis,advised ens,whichdisplaystheprimitivefigureofaMotherGoddess. hertotravelasapilgrimage,whenshewasexperiencingwaves Polishedmarblesculpturesofexceptionalserenity,carvedfrom ofdoubt.“‘Weareopen,’Chiuritoldme—that’showIunder- asinglepieceofstone,armsfoldedabovetheabdomen,some- stoodit,”recallsSoulou,whoseworldrevolvesaroundAthens timesswollenbypregnancy,sometimeslinedbychildbirth. andtheislandofThassos,whereshegoestoescapewhen Theidols’verticality,withfacesmarkedbyasharply theGreekcapitalstartstooverwhelmherclarityofmind. definednose,suggestsGiacometti’ssculptures,Picasso’sline Forthefashionshow,shesketcheddancingfiguresinquasi- andde Chirico’smetaphysicalworld,shroudedinmystery,as evanescentlines,sendingthemviaFedEx,withoutknowing aretheprehistoricdeities.Weknow exactlyhowtheywouldbeused.“All littleabouttheirfunctionorposition, Iknewwasthatmydrawingswould althoughwecansurmisethatthey starttocometolifewiththeclothes.” alludetonature,fertility,thecycleof Sherediscoveredthemfloatingatopa theseasons,life’seternalwheel. jacquardsilkdress,“becomingsome- Equallylife-enhancingarethesmall thingelse”throughthisnewmedium, Cretanlibationvesselsondisplay “throughatechniquethatcelebrates attheHeraklionArchaeological andtransposestheartofdrawing,in Museum,whosecreatorsfashioned whichtheworkofartmustacceptto femininebustswithholesinthe appearasafragment,leavingroom breasts,andthechubbyvasesof forserendipityandmystery.” Akrotiri,intheMuseumofPrehistoric Thira,onSantorini,featuringnipples Weaving the future Byopeningup anddecoratedwithswallowsinflight. hercreativeprocesstootherartists, JosephCampbell’sstudyofthefemi- Chiurireconnectedtoawell-loved ninedivineofferedheraguideto approach.Thatofthecollective,of thisexploratoryjourney,including overlappingvisions,whichtakethe thestunningMinoanSnakeGoddess imaginationoffthebeatentrack.She ofKnossos,withhersteadygazeand continuedherquest,exploringtradi- aflouncedskirtthatseemsnearly tionalGreektextiles.OntheSilk palpable—weknowsolittleaboutit, Road,neartheTurkishborder,she ifonlythatweareprobablywrong likedthefeelofthesilkfabricswoven aboutwhatsheoncesignified. bySilkLineinSoufli.InArgos,near Thepowerofthefeminineincar- theGulfofCorinth,shewasstopped nationcontinueditspathinthecre- MariaGraziaChiuri,àAthènesenjuindernier. inhertracksbytheworkofAristeidis ativeprocess.Chiuriinfuseditinto MariaGraziaChiuri,inAthenslastJune. Tzonevrakis,atailorandembroiderer thesilhouettesoftheCruisecollec- whoseexpertiseconjuresupfabulous tionforDior,byinvokingthebrightwhiteofCycladicmar- arabesquesoverapieceofclothing.“I’veneverseenthatany- ble,bydrapingthebodywithtransparencies,byblocking whereelse,”explainsthedesigner.“Usually,patterns,embroi- thesetransparencieswithlayersofsilktulle,bytranslating deryandassemblyaredonebydifferentpeople,toconstructa theutterfreedomofmovementinherentinthepeplosgowns piece.Here,everythingiscombinedbyasingleartisan—the throughclothesleaningtowardcontemporarysportswear. embroideryincludesthestructure,thetailorcreatestheentire Theideaofpresentingthesedesignswithintheultimatesanc- pieceofclothing.”Tzonevrakis,whocametohistradelaterin tuarydedicatedtosport—thePanathenaicStadiuminAth- life,hismentorbeinganexpertintheartoftraditionalclothing, ens—begantotakeshape.“Menssanaincorporesano,”says approacheshisworkwithtotalfreedom.ForDior,hecreated thedesignerwithasmile.“Itwaswhenwewereallworking amidnightbluefelttoteandanivoryjacketwithfreewheeling outathome...Theveryfactofbeingabletomoveone’sbody, naturalisticcurls.ThentoAthens,whereChiuribowedto notinthesenseofphysicalperformance,butinthesenseof thesteelydeterminationofVirginieMatseli,aformerethnologist anewfoundfreedom,seemedanobviouschoice.Thefeminist attheCultureMinistry,whoworkedtosaveoneofAthens’ aspectofthisfreedomalsomadesense.Likewalkingwith lastpassementerieworkshops,NE.M.A,annexingittothe sneakers,incontrasttocorsetedclothes,designedinthepast BenakiMuseum.NE.M.Ahandmadethesmallsilkbraidson topreventwomenfrommoving.”FragmentsoftheGreek thecapsintheDiorshow,producedbytheAtelierTsalavoutas, legacyemergehereandthere,instructuralabstractions. specialistsinfishermen’scaps.Avibrantworkshopwithina museum?Thepresentinteractingwiththepast?Thismayhold Fragment of eternity Thedesigner’sencounterwithChris- thesecrettotheGreekpalimpsest.Whenthewritingremains, tianaSoulouaddedanewelement.Chiuriwasalreadyfamiliar veiledbytime,andwhenthepenonceagainbeginstosketch withtheGreekartist’swork,whoissteepedinFrenchculture newlines,appearnewworldstoriesfashionedbyothers. 116