In Athens, models still hit catwalk, but economic crisis trims Greek fashion collections - The Best from Greece

ATHENS, Greece — Greece is in crisis, but it was hard to tell at Athens fashion week, which showcased spring and summer collections for 2012.

“Keep Greek Fashion in Your Hearts,” was the motto, a hard ask in a country on the verge of financial ruin. But the models on the catwalk and the glitterati on the red carpet did their part. Gowns shimmered, lipstick glistened. Pink cocktails flowed, courtesy of the sponsors.

Glamorous looks can be deceiving.

In Greece, shops are closing, unemployment is climbing, pensions are evaporating and people are protesting. Austerity rules. Foreign loans are the norm, foreign investment is not. Few Greeks have the means or inclination to splurge on clothes, much less garments tailored to individual taste.

Fashion is the purview of the wealthy elites, but its struggle to adapt and even survive in the Greek mess mirrors other mired economic sectors. And unlike some Greek industries, fashion never enjoyed staunch promotion by the state, as in powerhouses France or Italy, and most designers lack a strong production base for their portfolios.

Broadly, it’s a story about relevance. Fashion anywhere aims to connect with a mass audience, but exclusivity and flamboyance can make it seem out of touch. Even more so in Greece, where students, civil servants and garbage collectors take grievances to the streets.

A few Greek designers have international repute. London-based Sophia Kokosalaki, who adopted classic Grecian draping for a soft, flowing look, designed thousands of outfits for the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. But for the most part, Greek designers cater to a domestic clientele, relying on word-of-mouth marketing and operating out of small workshops, or ateliers.

Local buyers are scarce, the fallout from a crisis that has pitched Greece to the edge of a debt default and now threatens the unity of the eurozone. Celia Dragouni, a 32-year-old designer who describes her style as “hippie, bohemian” and “romantic,” has a website and a fan page on Facebook. Now she seeks direct contact with international buyers because business at home is shrinking, especially in the slow year-end season.

“I’m sending some mails and fixing my portfolio,” Dragouni said. “I’m trying to get to know the buyers. I’m aiming abroad.”

It’s not all grim. Weddings are a big deal anywhere, but Greeks go all out. Dragouni, who works extensively with silk and lace, custom-made 30 wedding gowns this past summer, the traditional season for getting hitched.

Yet she said some designers who used to charge 10,000 euros for a wedding dress have dropped the price by as much as two-thirds, even when cutting and stitching with the same high-quality materials.

Many Greek designers cater to singers and other local celebrities, unable to generate the kind of mass-produced, ready-to-wear lines that would endow their labels with corporate strength and true staying power. That makes their predicament more dire as revenue dries up and entertainment becomes more of a luxury than a fixture.