Vasilis In Cyprus

Tell me a joke.

What type of music do rabbits listen to? Hip hop. 

So what does a typical day in Nicosia entail?

For me, when I visit home it's for vacation so it is usually very relaxed. I usually wake up, get coffee, then work out. After that, I probably go to my grandmother's for lunch and then meet some friends for coffee. At night, we usually go out. There are surprisingly a lot of cool parties that happen there now. My favorite is one called Nostalgia and it only plays 80s and 90s Greek hits. It takes place in an old tavern and the decor is just so decadent. I love it. Sometimes I go to the beach in Protaras. Not a lot of people know it but Cyprus has the cleanest waters in Europe.

How was your experience going back to Cyprus after being in New York for a few years?

It's always so refreshing. It reminds me of who I am and it centers me. I always read novels in the past about people in diaspora but was never able to relate. Now I can, to a certain extent. Every corner is a sweet memory there. Neighborhood to neighborhood, I have stories to remember: a first kiss, a heartbreak, the endless summer nights running around with my friends. You somehow forget all the bad memories and keep the good. 

Did you pick up any new tricks? 

Nope, just remembered how to relax again. 

You were only 17 years old when you had to join the Cypriot military—what were those years like, and how did that influence your adult life? 

I had to enroll for two years which is pretty brutal. As a kid I was very ambitious and couldn't wait to leave Cyprus to pursue my dreams. Having to delay that for two years was frustrating. It definitely made me tougher and taught me how to deal with people that are so different from me. 

The spring 2020 collection feels much lighter, and more joyful than your previous ones (not that your earlier works were dark). Can you tell me where the process began? 

The collection is exploring the concept of education. The way we acquire values and morals was very interesting to me. At school we are always sold these grandiose promises regarding the human condition. I was playing with that idea and used imagery from an old Greek alphabet book to convey this narrative. The story takes place in an old Greek school classroom in the mid-war period.

What steps do you take to overcome blockages in the creative process?

I take time off whenever I feel like I am creatively exhausted. 

Do you practice mindfulness? 

Yes I do.

I know that you read tarot, and study astrology. Does spirituality, or mysticism, play a role in your work as a designer? 

Yes for sure. The decisions I make for my work are led by that. Also the strong visuals and mystic imagery that I see, are engraved in my psyche so that must inform my aesthetics. My work often times consists of allegories and symbolism too. I think everything is related. 

What do you hope to achieve this year? 

This year I am going to have more trust in my path. 

Are you reading anything right now?

I just started On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. Such a beautiful novel. 

Favourite spice. 

I love cumin. 

Spirit crystal?

Rose quartz, citrine and emerald. I love how they look and also what they embody. 

How would you like to reincarnate? 

I think the human experience is always the same from the beginning of time until now so I don’t have a preference in terms of which period but I would like to have good karma regardless. Maybe somehow that my nature aligns with my destiny harmoniously. 

What’s the magic word? 

Everything is a Magic Word.