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                                                   for the Minoan civilisation, where that   and scents of my grandfather's village.
 The sublime Cretan
 essence lies in Elli                              fire stems from, and what her future in   A  small  village that seemed to hide a
 Lyraraki's every                                  the art and fashion industries holds.  treasure for me. As I explored my Cretan
 design, from her                                  What is your connection to Crete?    roots, I discovered that the name of my
 Olympic necklace                                  I was born in Athens but chose to live in   village, Alagni, came from Alagonia. Leg-
 and sandals to her                                Crete and make it the centre of my life,   end has it that Alagonia was a nymph,
 clothes, defined by   Elli Lyraraki found inspiration
 vibrant colours and   in her Cretan roots. Her works   the source and foundation of my inspi-  the daughter of Zeus and Europa. So,
 textures.    of art and fashion resonate          ration and creativity. All my childhood   when I presented the Minoan Collection
              with that wondrous journey of        memories are infused with the energy   in Paris in 2019, it was the perfect name
              self-discovery.                                                           to represent me and my work, drawn
                                                                                        from an amazing coincidence. Thou-
                                                                                        sands of years after ancient Alagonia,
                                                                                        the descendant of Europa, lived in myth,
                                                                                        I felt like I was following in her Minoan
                                                                                        footsteps, but in reverse. From Crete,
                                                                                        that is, a small corner at the edge of Eu-
                                                                                        rope, towards the heart of Europe and
                                                                                        fashion. Thus, the Minoan Steps were
                                                                                        created. In  my  effort  to  share  my pas-
                                                                                        sion for Cretan culture, I created not only
                                                                                        the Minoan Steps collection but also the
                                                                                        company Cretan Minology. My goal is
                                                                                        to preserve and promote the traditional
                                                                                        arts and techniques of Crete, because
                                                                                        my research so far has led me to the
                                                                                        conclusion that nothing can be lost if it’s
                                                                                        well-preserved in the hearts of people.
                                                                                        What part of Crete's heritage moves you?
                                                                                        Its greatness. I could never imagine how
                                                                                        generous Crete would be to me, how it
                                                                                        would change my life and make me a
                                                                                        better person. It opened great new av-
                                                                                        enues for me. It honoured me and con-
                                                                                        tinues to do so in a touching way. When
                                                                                        my family and I permanently moved to
                                                                                        Crete, I didn't really know the place. So,
                                                                                        I decided to embark on an inner journey
                                                                                        and discover the artist within me in this
                                                                                        blessed place. Crete has a vast culture.
                                                                                        Inspiration is everywhere. Here I discov-
 CRETAN ART   are rooted in her love for Crete and its                                  ered joy and happiness in simple things.
   Elli  Lyraraki’s efforts
                                                                                        Life in nature, a peaceful existence with
 folklore, from its mythology to its artistry                                           my family, and the luxury of solitude and
 and nature. Her illustrious career in fash-                                            isolation. In short, I found myself and dis-
 ECHOES  ion includes milestones related to Paris                                       covered what I wanted to be and do in
 Fashion Week and the Olympics, but
                                                                                        my life. A New-Minoan Aesthetic Artist,
 she never forgets her journey’s humble                                                 the Financial Times called me.
 yet magical beginnings exploring Crete’s                                               What is your vision for this place?
 Exclusive interview with Elli Lyraraki. The prestigious
 hidden gems. They served as inspira-                                                   I have a vision for Crete: to discuss the is-
 designer promotes Crete by connecting her creations   tion and continue to adorn each of her   land’s hidden history and culture through
 artworks, whether it’s a shoe, jewel, or                                               my art and inspiration. My goal is for
 with the island's ancient customs and Minoan culture.  sculpture. Learn more about her passion   my work to always advocate for Cretan



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