You Are What You Wear: An Exhibition About Clothing, Identity, and Our Times

By Diana Kartsagouli

From the runway to the street, and from art to politics, the exhibition “YOU ARE WHAT YOU WEAR” at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete unravels the story of clothing like never before.

What does what we wear say about us? Is it merely a matter of necessity or something more complex? Many believe that it reflects who we are—a silent declaration to the outside world. Often, it’s a way to belong to a social group—or, conversely, to stand out from one. These and other questions are brought to the forefront in the new exhibition YOU ARE WHAT YOU WEAR at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete in Rethymno.

The 32 works featured in the exhibition come from the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), the Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete (MSTK), the ATOPOS Contemporary Visual Culture organization, the Bernier/Eliades Gallery (Athens/Brussels), Crux Galerie, Zoumboulakis Gallery, private collections, and the artists themselves.
Greek and international artists and designers come together to form a remarkable ensemble. Fashion and contemporary art meet, clash, and intertwine—ultimately speaking to something deeper: the image of the human being across time and society.

The Birth of an Idea

is often the case, the idea for the exhibition was born out of a casual conversation. During this exchange, the curators—Maria Marangou, Maria Panagidou, and Stavros Kavallaris—shared their common passion for art and fashion.

The question that arose was not simply what these two fields have in common, but how they influence each other—especially today, as the boundaries between them grow increasingly fluid. As the curators explain: “That’s how we set out on this journey—seeking the reciprocal relationship between contemporary art and fashion within the context of political and social conditions. Often, art—and fashion, too—serve as prophetic mechanisms, foreshadowing shifts in each era’s status quo.”

A Tribute to Sophia Kokosalaki

Among the participants are major figures from the contemporary visual and design scene, including Rebecca Horn, Hussein Chalayan, Maria Papadimitriou, Vanessa Beecroft, Dimitris Dabis, Versavais, Yiannis Bournias, Blind Adam, and many others.
Some works are based on garments, others reflect on the very concept of clothing—or its absence. In every case, the garment becomes a springboard for a more personal, political, and social narrative.

A special place in the exhibition is reserved for a tribute to Sophia Kokosalaki, the renowned Greek fashion designer who passed away prematurely in 2019. Born in Rethymno, she studied at Central Saint Martins and built an international career in London and Paris. Kokosalaki succeeded in weaving Greek tradition into contemporary aesthetics—without ever becoming folkloric.

“Greek cultural heritage was a constant reference for Sophia Kokosalaki—always transcending the expected, always avoiding the folkloric. Minoan civilization, ancient Greece, folk traditions and handicrafts, Crete—her place of origin, childhood memories, and summer returns—became material charged with memory and emotion, feeding her design world. Ancient Greek drapery, macramé, the Snake Goddess, Byzantine iconography, and Greek embroidery met with influences from urban life, street culture, and the aesthetic of the new wave and post-punk music scenes. The result was clothing with intensity, character, and innovation—a personal, minimalist interpretation of ‘Greekness,’ perfectly in tune with the tempo of the present,” notes fashion historian Meti Tsoukatos.

Her signature drapes, handmade details, interplay between silk and leather, her embrace of street culture and new wave sensibilities—all shaped the unique style of a designer whose work became global without ever losing its Greek identity. The tribute showcases 24 of her creations, along with jewellery and designs from her family’s collection. The accompanying text is authored by Meti Tsoukatos.

The exhibition is accompanied by a bilingual catalogue, featuring texts by the artists themselves and photographs of the works.

An exhibition that prompts reflection. A reminder that what we wear isn’t always superficial. It might be part of who we are—or at least, who we wish to be.