LALAOUNIS (Greece 1920 – 2013)

Ilias Lalaounis was a fourth generation jeweller, a pioneer of Greek jewellery and an international renowned goldsmith, who was especially known for his collections inspired by Greek mythology.

Lalounis started working for his uncle Xenophon Zolotas. In 1940 he took over the firm, which he managed and designed all the jewellery for until 1968. He founded the Greek Jewellers’ Association and exhibited his first collection, inspired by Classical, Hellenistic and Minoan Mycenaean art at the Thessaloniki International Fair in 1957.

In 1971 he organised an international jewellery exhibition in Athens, joined by van Cleef and Arpels, Bulgari, Rene Kern and Harry Winston.

In 1976 Empress Farah of Iran commissioned Lalalounis to create a collection of jewellery and objects inspired by Persian art, which went on display at the Imperial Palace in Tehran.

Between 1970 and 1978 Lalaounis opened stores in most European countries including Paris and New York.

Throughout the 1980s, he continued to create innovative collections and expanded the brand to international markets including Tokyo and Hong Kong.

In 1984 he published Metamorphosis, a book in which he presented nineteen of his collections for which he received the Thorlet Award from the Academie des Beaux Arts. He was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and Commander of the Order of Academic Palms. In 1990 he was also elected as a member of the Academie des Beaux Arts of the Institut de France, the only jeweller ever to be included. The Adacemicians’ swords, given to member on their induction, were originally designed by Salvador Dali and when Dali became to frial to continue this, he named his friend Lalalounis to continue his work.

In 1994 he founded the Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum located under the Acropolis. The permanent collection displays jewellery and micro sculptures from 45 collections, designed by Lalaounis between 1940-1992. Special commission such as the Olympic torch, designed by Lalalounis and used to start the Olympic torch rally, are also kept on display.