Daphne Valente - Athanasiou Axarlian 3

Daphne Valente was born in Athens, Greece.

She studied Fashion Design at F.I.T. in N.Y. and at St Martin’s school of Art in London.   Her degree collection, based on Trompe l'oeil (Optical illusions) printed on dresses,

caused a sensation and was bought by Browns.
Moving back to Greece, she developed her technique of Grecian pleating, following the steps of Mariano Fortuny and had a long career, selling her perfectly sculpted, sensual outfits to the elite of the Athenian society, until she rediscovered an old passion she cherished since childhood, designing hand-made, statement jewelry.
The change in her creative direction, made her embrace a more artistic approach, so she started exhibiting her one off, precious handicrafts in Art galleries,

since she was constantly inspired by the Arts.
Daphne has successfully designed theatre costumes and for four years, being the president of Hellenic Fashion Designers association, she dedicated all her energy, establishing and organizing Hellenic Fashion week.
Living in Greece, during the ten years of acute economic crisis, she had to focus in a different direction, designing a collection of resort wear in her pleated, sculptural style,

 to be sold in exclusive hotels all over Greece.
Her passion for detail is expressed in the way she approached this new project, lovingly draping on the body, pieces of fine pleated fabrics, creating ‘Fluid sculptures’,

timeless, feminine, elegant clothes.

Her designs offer an ideal solution for easy and comfortable cocktail wear ideal for travelling. The customer of Daphne Valente, is the sophisticated lady who enjoys capturing the attention in her graceful, elegant simplicity. The resort collection is enhanced by sculptural, fashion jewelry, by colorful pleated scarves, wrapped in a very original package, by pleated bags and by colorful sandals.

Everything is handmade and crafted in Greece in a traditional way similar

to Haute Couture.

The collections are sold in Greece, Cyprus and Lebanon, in exclusive shops and resorts, like Four Seasons, Costa Navarino, Sani, Aesthet, Jackie O, while her accessories are sold the art shops of Niarchos foundation and Benaki and Lalaounis museums.

She lives in Athens and in Cape Sounion with her husband and their two cats.