Ilias Lalaounis: Master of Greek Jewelry Inspired by Antiquity
Born in Athens in 1920, Ilias Lalaounis was a famous Greek jeweler, creator of gold jewelry inspired by the techniques and art of ancient Greece . He represents the fourth generation of a family of goldsmiths from Delphi, an ancient city located 170 km from Athens.
At the age of 20, he joined the company of his uncle, Euthymios Zolotas , as an apprentice goldsmith and jeweler. In 1940, in the midst of World War II, he took over the reins of the company and became artistic and creative director.
In the 1960s, after the death of his uncle, Ilias Lalaounis decided to follow his dream and founded his own eponymous house. He set up his headquarters next to the family home, at the foot of the Acropolis . After opening the main boutique in Athens, which is still in business, he opened his first boutique abroad in Paris, on rue Saint-Honoré.
Lalaounis distinguishes himself by preferring 18 and 22 carat yellow gold, which he considers "the most human material". He revives ancient techniques such as hand hammering, granulation, filigree and hand weaving .
In 1969, Aristotle Onassis commissioned Ilias Lalaounis to make a pair of earrings for his wife Jacqueline Kennedy's 40th birthday . These jewels, depicting the Moon with ruby-encrusted craters and spacecraft orbit-shaped clips, pay tribute to the Apollo 11 mission and Man's first step on the Moon.
In the 70s, Lalaounis caused a sensation with his "BLOW UP" collection , a series of giant jewels designed to cover the entire body. He also draws inspiration from nature, science, animals, flowers, plants and constellations.
In 1990, Ilias Lalaounis became the first goldsmith to receive a prestigious distinction from the Institut de France , Academy of Fine Arts and Letters, for his exceptional contribution to the art of jewelry.
In 1993, Ilias Lalaounis brought his creations together in the Ilias Lalaounis Museum of Jewelry , located on the site of his former workshops in the heart of Athens. Today, the museum exhibits over 18,000 pieces from fifty collections created throughout his career.
