Designer of the Month: Athena Bentila, MuMu Organic

The popularity of sustainable fashion is big in the UK, picking up speed in the US, and on the agenda for many designers in other parts of the world. But, in Greece there are few fashion professionals working on the transition to the ethical initiatives that our world needs. Greek designer and owner of MuMu Organic, Athena Bentila is the first to make major strides for sustainable fashion in her country. I interviewed her to learn more about her line and the industry in Greece.


Krystle: How do you think the artistic influence of your cofounder inspires your designs?
Athena: As a designer, I am very much inspired by nature and by art. So, naturally his art does inspire me significantly.

Krystle: What is your favorite aspect of designing?
Athena: I mostly like to design dresses that are easy to wear, that are fresh and feminine, with simple lines, but adding some interesting details on them.

Krystle: Your dresses are so playful and feminine. What inspires that style?
Athena: As I said before, I get inspired by nature to design my dresses. And the woman is one of the most beautiful and delicate beings of nature.  My dresses are designed to highlight the beauty of a woman.

Krystle: How do you hope women will feel while wearing your dresses?
Athena: I hope they will feel special thinking that they are wearing a beautiful dress, but more importantly, an ethical dress. I hope they will feel proud of themselves for being able to contribute to the protection of the environment by choosing an Ethical MuMu organic dress.

Krystle: What is the sustainable fashion industry like in Greece? How does it feel being the first producer of women’s organic clothing?
Athena: MuMu organic is the only ethical label in Greece.  I feel proud to be the first designer living and working in Greece who designs clothes from organic cotton and other sustainable fabrics. For me, it is important to do as much as possible to help to protect the environment and raise awareness for as many people as possible. Consumers must know that there are several ways we can protect ourselves and the planet, and buying organic clothing is one of them.
I hope that soon more designers in Greece will like to use eco-friendly fabrics and that more and more consumers will be familiar with the ethical clothing and the benefits they have to our skin and the planet.

Krystle: Do you think working with solely organic fabrics is more challenging than the more commonly used materials? Why/why not?
Athena: It is definitely more challenging to work only with organic fabrics as it is something new and innovative for my country. I strongly believe that ethical fashion is the future of fashion.

Krystle: What should we expect to see this autumn?
Athena: In this autumn’s collection MuMu organic designs are classy and stylish and combine organic cotton with luxurious silk fabrics.

Find a pretty dress of your own here: http://www.mumusyros.gr/

9 Best Shops to Buy Dresses Online

Modcloth: The largest, and most adorable collection of retro dresses (like the one pictured to the right). I love this website because they have styling tips with every product description, and the brand has a strong online community.

Anthropologie: Vintage and indie inspired designs. You can also have a styling consultation on what to pair your dress with if you haven't a clue which shoes and accessories to add. In the product reviews, girls can add their body type, which can give you a better idea of how things might fit.

ASOS: Cute, feminine, sexy and just about any other adjective you can think of to describe dresses. This e-tailer has over 2,000 styles of dresses. Amazing. And each product has a runway clip, so you can see the dresses in motion.

Miss Selfridge: Another shop with an unbeatable range of dresses. They have a designated "dress shop" with categories from day to night dresses to bodycon dresses. And they have a side view of their dresses, instead of the standard front/back/close up, which is very useful.

Romwe: City street style meets online fashion. You sort of have to sift through the dresses, but there are some true gems if you look closely. Plus, everything is pretty affordable and there's free regular shipping worldwide.

Rare London: Fun and funky, I love the dresses on this site. My favorites are the ballerina dresses and strapless styles with fringe. Lots of unique options.

Alice and Olivia: Ultra girly, candy-colored frocks. This collection of dresses screams summer. What's also great is that you can read a fairly detailed description of the dress to get a better idea of what you're buying. For example: "sequins and beading featured on a tulle overlay".

To spoil yourself or for window shopping

Frockaholics: Elegant designer dresses. I'm not a fan of their daytime dresses, but most of their evening dresses are incredible... sweeping floor length gowns, decorated at the bust, or dresses with all over embellishment. Makes me want to host a black tie event at my flat.

Farfetch: Collection of dresses from top designers. Nearly every dress on this site is wishlist worthy. And, they have a fantastic search feature to let the buyer find pieces quicker.

If I'm missing any great shops on my list, let me know!