Exhibition of jewelry with Greek motifs

Sofia Thanopoulou Maroulina is no new comer to the world of jewelry. Coming from an illustrious family, her beautiful collection is on display at the Benaki Museum till the 7th of November. The Benaki museum is known for the exquisite jewelry representing the different flavors of Greece, on exhibit here.
Sofia Thanopoulou Maroulina, inherits the name Maroulina from her famous grandmother, Maroulina Kabani, who was known the world over for her jewelry creations. Maroulina is a descendant of Manto Mavroyenous, a well known figure, due to her contribution during the 1821 revolution. When Mykonos was going through a discovery by many intellectuals and artists, Maroulina also opened her boutique here, known as “To Magazaki tis Maroulina” or Maroulina’s Little Shop. The boutique picked up quite well during the 1960s and Maroulina soon moved base to Athens, where it continued to flourish.
Known for her intricate and exquisite design, Maroulina Kabani’s jewelry gained a lot of fame and her amulets were particularly sought after. Many famous people were her customers, and the list included Yehudi Menuhin, Maurice Bejart and even the famous sisters Lee Radziwill and Jackie Bouvier. The high flying clientele carried her brand to London, Paris and New York, to name a few places. This only heightened her fame and so the name of Maroulina was established.
Her popularity was mainly due to her unique and interesting technique of blending both expensive and cheap materials. The materials included everything from gold, silver and pearls to shells, corals, beads and leather. Maurice Bejart advised her to consider making only valuable jewelry. Maroulina had practiced the tradition of making her own amulet and hanging it on a wall in her house, which was located in Solonos Street, for many years.
Thanopoulou Maroulina, after suffering a long illness finally passed away in 1997, and every year on the 15th of September, her daughter and grandchildren remember her fondly and throw a truly Mykonian celebration in her honor.