How to style the ‘Greek girl summer’ trend – whether you’re island hopping or staying home

If last year’s big summer trend was “tomato girl” – think la dolce vita glamour for the TikTok generation – this year, attention has turned to elsewhere in the Mediterranean. In 2024, we are declaring a “Greek girl summer.” If it feels like everyone you know is in Greece this year, you aren’t alone. With a string of high-profile luxury hotel openings and the revival of the Athens Riviera, the cool set have packed up their linen for a week of sun, sea and feta.

Travel often invites a touch of literal dressing – think game drive-ready neutrals for safari, and raffia and gingham in Provence. Whether you’re spending a weekend touring the Acropolis or embarking on your own island-hopping odyssey, blue and white stripes, goddess-inspired gold jewellery and wrap-around sandals will help you relax into the taverna lifestyle.

Alexia Karides, co-founder of the Athenian jewellery brand YSSO, believes this look is more dominant this year thanks to “years of the slow discovery of the ‘Greek summer’”, that started with Mykonos becoming oversaturated and tourists “expanding to visit the undiscovered parts of Greece.” As the founder of a Made in Greece brand, she is noticing a lot of international labels also embracing the Greek aesthetic in 2024. “It makes me happy as I see it as an appreciation of our culture. When the brand has not researched or quite understood the culture, the audience will realise it is a gimmick and not authentic.”

Although fashion production isn’t huge in Greece, there is a flourishing creative scene and a number of brands that are embracing local techniques and craftsmanship. “The Greek Crisis (which started in 2009) gave rise to a wave of local brands whose tenacity and vision resulted in quality products defined by sustainable practices and a focus on traditional local craftsmanship,” explains Elis Kiss, editor-in-chief of Vogue Greece.

One of the country’s biggest fashion exports is Ancient Greek Sandals, which produces all of its leather sandals in factories in Athens using classic Mediterranean techniques. “We wanted to create Greek-inspired sandals that were made in Greece,” says co-founder Christina Martini. “Our heritage is one of the most important things.” According to ancient myths, gods and goddesses had their sandals made in Crete by a maker who added magical powers to each pair and his signature was a “golden wing” buckle, which now features on Ancient Greek Sandals.

“What is noteworthy is the impressive rise of a Greek creative jewellery designer scene, featuring powerful and distinct contemporary creative voices,” adds Kiss. Fine jewellers include Ileana Makri, Yiannis Sergakis, Nikos Koulis and Lito, while Hermina Athens and YSSO are leading in the contemporary space.

Adele recently wore a pair of Clos earrings by YSSO, a brand founded by mother-daughter duo Alexia and Stalo Karides, to the Euro 2024 semi-finals. “One of the reasons I was motivated to start the label was discovering the wealth of history and cultural depth found in Greek manufacturing, something that was not known internationally,” explains Alexia. “I wanted to create designs that would enable these artisans’ work to reach a global audience.” As for the aesthetic, the sculptural designs blend modern and ancient references – reflecting Stalo’s background as an archaeologist and art historian; “the ethos of accessorising” was dominant in ancient Greece.

“There are strong aesthetic elements which have been carried forward since the ancient times, into modernist Greek design, as well as contemporary art,” explains Alexia. However, she credits the economic crisis as having a significant impact on creativity in modern Greece as “a large portion of the population left Greece to live all across the world, including myself, moving to London”. This diaspora then “accumulated these multicultural experiences and brought them back home.” Kiss reiterates that the Greek ideal continues to be a “major work in progress, a fusion of the old and the new,” although it will always reflect that this is a summer resort destination.

So where are the “Greek girls” flocking to this summer? There’s been a boom in new luxury hotel openings this year, none more glamorous nor Instagram-able as One&Only Kéa Island in the Aegean. The hotel includes a small boutique which supports local artists and collaborated with YSSO on an exclusive capsule, with jewellery inspired by ancient coins, ropes and acorns. Gemma Deeks, fashion editor of travel website Citizen Femme, recommends Numo Mykonos which opened earlier this year “for a charming boutique feel, that boasts the allure of the 60s and 70s with iconic design elements that add a playfulness to Mykonos’s typical whitewashed, minimal aesthetic.” Then there is Gundari Resort on Folegandros island which opened in May. Deeks describes it as “the epitome of understated, raw luxury” and a “real oasis for deep relaxation.”

Athens, meanwhile, is becoming a popular city break destination in its own right, rather than just a necessary stopover en route to catching a ferry to the islands. “There is a bigger arts and crafts scene in Athens, with a creative hub of artists and graphic designers that didn’t exist in the past,” Christina Martini says. There has also been a string of luxury hotel launches in the city, with places like the recently-opened One&Only Aesthesis bringing new attention to this neglected spot on the Saronic Gulf.

Greece has endured heatwaves and highs of 46C this summer, so dressing light is key, or visit in autumn, when temperatures are more bearable. “Stick to crochet or woven textures, linen, neutral hues and pops of blue,” Deeks advises. “Keep things minimal, and look to pack simple sets, like white linen co-ords and artisanal separates. Pair your looks with a basket bag and strappy sandals for fail-safe summer dressing, and add interesting jewellery, like shell-inspired pieces that nod to island landscapes.” Karides adds the Athenian look is all about “wearing creased clothes, no make-up, flat shoes (never heels!) and gold jewellery” for dinner, whether you’re having a simple gyros or something fancier.

Martini runs Ancient Greek Sandals from Corfu, where she says her current “beach to taverna” uniform is kaftans (Lemlem is her favourite) and jelly shoes. “My business partner Nikolas’s grandfather had a factory in Athens, where he made rubber shoes and boots, and in the 50s he had made these ballerinas,” Martini says of the inspiration behind the flats. “I saw them in a catalogue and he gave me a pair he had and they were perfect, so we remade them. They used to be really popular with grannies in Greece for pebbled beaches – they weren’t cool shoes at the time.” But this summer, fashion editors have even been wearing these flats in London, bringing a touch of Corfu to W1.

Shopping

For exploring ancient ruins: Printed Kaftan and leather Grecian sandals

Viscose dress, £460, Lemlem; Leather sandals, £185, Ancient Greek Sandals

Loewe Paula’s Ibiza Raffia hat, £495, Net-a-Porter; Gold plated and enamel necklace, £138, Hermina Athens

For the ferry: Textured white co-ord, jade necklace + raffia hat

Crinkle top, £249 and skirt, £700, Zeus + Dione

Ileana Makri Gold beaded and jade necklace, £1,365, My Theresa;  and Medium suitcase, £119, Nere Travel

For the taverna: Linen, crochet and rope pendant

Linen dress, £510, Piece of White; Crochet and leather bag, £320, Ancient Greek Sandals

Gold plated necklace, £290, YSSO; Leather sandals, £295, ME+EM

For the beach: Blue and white stripes, linen boxer shorts + eye necklace

Lido Ribbed swimsuit, £204; Net-a-Porter; Linen shirt, £110

Shorts, £60, With Nothing Underneath

Jelly shoes, £85, Ancient Greek Sandals; Marianna Lemos Gold plated necklace, £95, Greeks Bearing Gifts