Romina Karamanea Rocs the Grecian Way

Style Cartel played catch up with the designer Romina Karamanea another global designer to watch straight out of Athens, Greece.  Find out what she thinks about Fashion,Music & Presidents wives……
1. Who is your mews?

I love unconventional beauty and paradoxical woman. One of my muses is Isabella Blow and I was fortunate to meet her and she commissioned some of my pieces.  It was funny because she wore the piece in her own unique way, not as it was intended to be worn and it looked fantastic on her.

She was very special and unique. In terms of beauty I love the
Pre-Raphaelite woman who were ghostly and ethereal and difficult to
capture.

2. What is your inspiration?

Robotics/technology, costumes, menswear, couture, corsets, 18th century,
anatomy, theatre, nature, insects, body modification, gender roles,
cultures, street wear…to name a few.

3. Why Fashion?

Fashion transcends language and is a way to express without words, so it
is all-inclusive.  Being a designer is amazing as you get the
opportunity to explore all of your passions, filter them and translate
them into your unique signature.  As a designer you are constantly
developing and refining ideals and your sense of aesthetic. I also love
that clothes represent empowerment, creativity and individualism.

4. When did you know you wanted to be a designer?

I was born into a fashion environment, both my parents owned boutiques
in Athens, which comprised international ready-to-wear designers. I was
into drawing and making as early as I can remember myself.

I adored watching how clothing could change the way people felt and
looked, which was what led me into pursuing fashion design.  By the age
of 12 I was certain that this was the direction that I wanted to take
and both my parent and friends were of great encouragement and support.

5. What are you listening to right now?

I am quite nostalgic with music so I love Joy Division, The Smiths,
Nirvana, 80′s pop and electronic beats to name a few.

6. What is your favourite colour?

This changes all the time but I always wear bright red lipstick!

7. What is your sign?

Gemini

8. New York or London?

In terms of fashion New York is relatively commercial and they do not
always make for revolutionary catwalk moments, so in a fashion sense I
would say London!  However, I think that both cities are equally
exciting for different reasons.

9. Sexy in the City or Gossip Girls?

Sex In The City!
10. What character are you in each?

I have never seen Gossip Girls but I can see a little bit of myself in
all of the Sex and The City characters.

11. If you could design for someone famous who would it be? Living and
Dead
choose one of each?

I would say Angelica Houston and the actress Tallulah Bankhead.

12. Mrs Obama or Mrs Sarkozy?

It would have to be Mrs Sarkozy as I loved her from when I really young
she is spirited, a tad rock, humanitarian, a bit boho and she can also
play guitar!

13. Favourite time in your life?

I loved it when I first arrived in London when I was 17 from my birth
country Athens as it seemed like such an exploration and I fell in love
with the city straight away.  I was mesmorised by how cosmopolitan and
gritty everything seemed and overwhelmed by a sense of adventure and
freedom.