The "Madame Figaro Women of the Year" awards ceremony, presented by Estée Lauder, highlighted Augusta Theodoulou in the "Fashion & Jewelery Designer of the Year" category.
The award was presented by Andrea Kyriakou, Radio Producer and Answear Ambassador in Cyprus, and Loukas Giorkas, Performer.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday 16 October 2024 at the Municipal Theater of Nicosia and will be broadcast by SIGMA TV on Monday 28 October at 16:20.
The Madame Figaro Awards is an institution that has been highlighting, honoring and rewarding the women of Cyprus for 19 years. Offer, dedication, innovation, ingenuity, talent and everything that makes up the multifaceted personality of a woman. The woman who for all of us is a role model and reflects the ideals of Cypriot society.
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Augusta Theodoulou
Augusta Theodoulou was born and raised in Avgorou, Cyprus. She studied Computer Science (BSc & MSc) at the University of Ioannina in Greece, where she worked for some years as a professor. At the same time, he was experimenting with various handmade techniques and materials.
In 2013, she decided to make a career shift, moving to Paris to pursue her dream of studying fashion design. In 2016, he graduated from the Fashion Design and Technology (BA) program of the IFA Paris school. Her graduation collection received the bronze award at an international fashion design competition in China and the first prize (Best New Designer) at the Athens Xclusive New Designers Awards 2017 in Greece.
Her creations have been presented in exhibitions in Paris, Athens, Washington, China and Cyprus. The designer lives in Paris where her namesake brand, Avgousta Theodoulou, is based. At the same time, he teaches Digital Design at the international top fashion school IFA Paris in Paris.
Augusta creates high-quality clothing and accessories, using natural and organic fabrics. It rejects the dictates of fast fashion and is in favor of slow fashion, which respects people and the environment, giving value to the garment through the deeper design process and the careful selection of raw materials.
The traditional handmade techniques she has developed and incorporated into her clothing have made her stand out, with her creations characterized as avant-garde rather than folklore.
Her goal is, through these techniques, to emphasize the traces that the human hand leaves on its creation. Her work explores existential dualities such as potency and fragility, the new and the old, the complex and the simple.
Her atelier in Paris is where she designs and develops her ideas and prototypes, which are presented in exhibitions and fashion shows. Designs and produces high-quality clothing and accessories in a limited number of pieces. The line with its accessories includes high quality leather creations and jewelry in collaboration with experienced artisans in the heart of Paris. At the same time, she continues her successful collaboration with Soufli for the production of her line of silk scarves, which she designs herself using her emblem as a unique building block to create kaleidoscopic patterns.
Through her work, Augusta promotes Greek and Cypriot savoir-faire abroad, adding influences and techniques from Paris. Her creations are available at selected points of sale.
2023 was an intensely creative year for Augusta. He presented a collection-ode to Cyprus, inspired by Cyprus and its rich history. The collection draws inspiration from the ancient kingdom of Solon, from the geometric representations of the Cyprogeometric period, the mosaics, the ancient theater of Solon, metal objects and ceramics of the Bronze Age.
Her reference to the Occupation was inevitable, given that the Solos are in the Occupied and that she herself comes from a refugee family, with a mother from the Holy Trinity.
Augusta captures this reality by creating linear geometric patterns that represent the two parts of the divided Cyprus, the free and the occupied. At the same time, the full geographical shape of the island leaves a strong message against any kind of division or occupation and underlines the need for peace.
Augusta's goal in this particular collection was not commercial, but to highlight the problem of Cyprus abroad. The continuation of this work is planned to be presented in an exclusive exhibition in Paris. The designer's work, with reference to the occupation in Cyprus, will form the heart of the exhibition, while all her work from 2016 to today will be included.
