Sophia Chantal
/Show Day
April 10
/Social Media
Sophia Chantal Zarifopoulos is a Greek American designer from New York now based in Athens. She recently showcased her first collection “The Reigning Balkan Princess” at Athens Fashion Week where she won the Best New Designer Award. She thrifts vintage lace and table cloths known as “Semedakia” and “mandilakia” in Greek. She then upcycles them and infuses them with her love and with her whimsy. She gifts them a new life full of fun, movement, and Balkan maximalism. Her second collection debuting at Vancouver Fashion Week is called “The Jungle Feveress”. It highlights theoretical main female protagonists that could be found in the jungle with a fashion fever. It’s messy, almost unfinished, torn, beautifully ruthless. It is fiercely female, showing how to take the fear out of being female, because once you do, the jungle is yours. Your scars, your flaws, your unfinished story, are all waiting to be claimed beautifully by you. Don’t hide them, strut IN them.
PREVIOUS COLLECTIONS
What inspired you to become a fashion designer?
Fashion has been part of my life since childhood. Even when I was five years old, I wanted to choose my own outfits because clothing was my first artistic language. Over time, I realized fashion was the best way to express my emotions and creativity.
How would you describe your design style?
I describe my aesthetic as Balkan Boho Chic. I create one-of-a-kind garments through draping and upcycling rather than traditional pattern making. My designs celebrate individuality, freedom, and fearless self-expression.
What can people expect from your latest collection?
The Jungle Feveress is inspired by fearless women who embrace their scars, flaws, and unfinished stories. The collection is wild, feminine, and expressive, encouraging people to wear their confidence instead of hiding it.
Why do you create your garments without sketches or patterns?
I prefer to let the fabric guide me. I work directly on the dress form through draping because it feels more natural and allows each garment to develop its own personality during the creative process.
Why do you love working with vintage Greek lace and tablecloths?
Vintage lace and traditional tablecloths carry history and emotion. By upcycling them into new garments, I can preserve their stories while giving them a playful, modern, and uniquely Balkan identity.