YIANNOS XENIS

Yiannos Xenis was born in Limassol, Cyprus. After studying Textile Technology, Textile Design and Fashion Design in England and Switzerland he started his professional carrier in Milan, Italy, working as a full time designer for BARATTA COUTURE SRL. In addition, he designed at the same time women and men’s shoes for AMERINO GHIAIA, POLLINI, LUCIANO SOPRANI, BASILE and knitwear for SCRATCH.

While in Milan, Yiannos Xenis was approached with an attractive offer that would take him to Los Angeles, USA. He accepted, thus landing a head designer position at OPERA G., where he created a new devision for women’s wear, targeting the American market. The immediate success of his first collection brought him wide range press coverage and led him to collaborate with giants like NEIMAN MARCUS and BLOOMINGDALE’S. While in Los Angeles, Yiannos Xenis also collaborated with noted costume designer Marlene Steward – her film credits ranging from “The Doors” and “JFK” to “Ali” and “21 Grams”.

After living abroad for 12 years, Yiannos Xenis decided to establish himself in Greece, where he soon became head designer for exporting firm MODUS and where he developed a young women’s line for the prominent TSANTILIS stores.

Eventually, he founded his own label YIANNOS XENIS®, divided into prκt-a-porter deluxe and haute couture.

In 2000, Yiannos Xenis reached a turning point: Following the development of garments designed for a recycled art show, the road was open for more experimentation and limit–stretching.

After working on different techniques to express his creative potential, Yiannos Xenis decided to make his innovative fashion available to a broader customer group, thus launching a prκt-a-porter de luxe line. Being a founding member of the Hellenic Fashion Designers Association, “Awareness of Unity”, the first of that kind, was launched at the Athens Fashion Week in October 2005.

Successively, all of Mr. Xenis’ following collections have been launched at the Athens Fashion Week. Since March 2008 his collections are also presented at the Cyprus Fashion Week.

Parallel to creating his Haute couture and prκt-a-porter de luxe lines, Yiannos Xenis started creating a collection of exclusive evening shoes for women. Additionally, he worked as costume designer for theatre and dance performances, e.g. for Olympic Games 2004 artistic director Dimitri Papaioannou’s OMADA EDAFOUS, for singer Haris Alexiou and her ensemble of 30 musicians, actress Pemy Zouny for the play “Closer” and Eurovision Song Contest Winner Elena Paparizou.

Among many international events YIANNOS XENIS was invited as guest designer are: the CPD-show in Dόsseldorf, the exhibition “FLASHBACK, 100 YEARS OF DESIGN”, organized by the Municipal Art Centre of Nicosia, Cyprus and the British Council, the B-IN-BERLIN haute couture gala and the Kotor Fashion Festival alongside CHRISTIAN DIOR, ROMEO GIGLI an REVILLON.