Emerging Greek designer Alex Kotoulas, introduces HAK STUDIOS with an inaugural collection that radiates colour and abstraction! That feels like a breath of fresh air! HAK STUDIOS (Handcrafted by Alex Kotoulas) is an Athens based concept-driven design studio that employs leather, textiles and ceramics ranging from fashion accessories to interior objects.
hak-studios.com // www.instagram.com/hakstudios
As the studio’s founder, Alex Kotoulas, draws from both a family heritage and experience in contemporary art and design, HAK STUDIOS merges traditional techniques with contemporary needs. Its multifaceted collection borrows its name from the homonymous art movement of the 50’s, COLOUR FIELDS, whilst drawing influence both from the work of pioneer artist Elworth Kelly and Kotoulas’ research on Japanese living aesthetics.
Curves of flat colour give shape to fully functional pockets on voluminous totes and smart wallets, reminiscent of physical extensions to painted artworks. Innovative ceramic flower holders with geometric silhouettes, cherish the Japanese philosophy of Ikebana. They highlight the flora’s natural beauty, embracing minimal aesthetic and functionality. A series of limited-edition rugs and throws stand as contemporary textile collages, combining opulent fabrics with modest ones, completing the brand’s leading line of products.
HAK STUDIOS’ core value is to support artisans in Greece, hence collaborating only with local, family-run leather workshops, ceramists and tailors. The concept-based collections celebrate fine craftsmanship with a commitment to sustainable practices expanding the dialogue between the designer’s vision and the makers’ expertise.
Alex Kotoulas (b. 1986, Kastoria, Greece) cultivated from early in life an expertise in artisanship of soft materials from his family’s workshop in his native Kastoria, a city in Northern Greece with a long tradition of leather and fur craftsmanship. Alex holds a MS in Engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and continued his studies on design at the Design Academy Eindhoven, before moving to Paris to work for Maison Louis Vuittion’s Leather Goods department. This unique environment with a rich history in accessory-making, has laid the foundation for his contemporary aesthetic and attention to detail.
Returning to Greece in 2017, Alex presented ALEXQUISITE, his first line of quality, handmade leather goods that established collaborations with small traditional leather fur manufacturers across Greece. Using the skills of his multidisciplinary studies, Alex is dedicated to fine craftsmanship with a commitment to sustainable practices. In 2018 he was appointed by the IFF as one of the 8 emerging accessories designers worldwide. Last year he was selected as one of the five Greek creatives to represent Braun for its 100 Years Anniversary. His designs have been featured internationally in notable press like: VOGUE UK, GQ UK, Elle, Esquire Es., Harper’s Bazaar, Kaltblut, FuckingYoung among numerous others.
He lives and works in Athens, Greece.
Photography: Yannis Bournias @yannisbournias
Models: Ioanna Paraskeuopoulou @paraskevopoulou_ioanna
Giorgos Kotsifakis. @georgios.kotsifakis
