Athens Airport Hosts ‘Dress Like a Greek’ Exhibition

Photo credits: Ilias Georgouleas

The Athens International Airport (AIA) and the Benaki Museum present an exhibition dedicated to the official Greek costumes introduced by Greece’s first King Otto and Queen Amalia after the launch of the 1821 Greek War of Independence.

Large banners with photos from the archives of the Benaki Museum are on display at the airport’s Schengen and Non-Schengen arrival corridors.

“Colored details of costumes combined with archive photographs from the first years of the [modern] Greek state, compose a narrative.. for 1821 and the post-revolutionary period,” an announcement said.

Photo credits: Ilias Georgouleas

After the establishment of the modern Greek state, King Otto and Queen Amalia presented two costume designs that soon evolved into Greece’s official costumes.

Otto adopted the fustanella, a traditional pleated skirt-like garment worn by men.

Amalia invented a new ensemble combining elements of European fashion and local tradition.

Photo credits: Ilias Georgouleas

In their initial version, the costumes included precious materials and embroidery but once adopted by people throughout Greece, new additional local designs were introduced.

With the invention of photography in the 19th century, Athens drew the attention of photographers, who captured with their lens figures of men and women in their traditional costumes.

Photo credits: Ilias Georgouleas

Scheduled to run until the end of the year, the exhibition is part of the events launched to mark Greece’s bicentennial since the start of the 1821 War of Independence.