May 19, 2025
Athens, as a destination city, is criminally underrated. The Greek capital does not get the same attention as Rome or Florence from history enthusiasts despite its breathtaking ancient sites, such as the Acropolis Theater of Dionysus. Athens isn’t as popular with fashionistas as Paris and London, despite its abundance of vintage shops and inspiring boutiques. The food exceeded my expectations. I ate the best-salted-cooked-fish-of-my-life at Estiatorio MILOS (and bought some artisanal salt to bring home).
During a recent visit to the ancient Greek state for Cos’s Spring/Summer runway show in 2025, I found that this vibrant city has so much to offer. This includes food, culture and fashion. Karin Gustafsson, Cos’s creative director, says that Athens is a place where history, architecture and modern design all come together to create a natural, harmonious environment. The city is a contrast between history and contemporary design. A combination of soft and structured elements characterizes pieces in the collection. Though I only spent four days in Greece, I am already looking forward to returning.
Discover what I wore on my trip, as well as the sights and runway looks that I could not get enough of. Also, see what the coolest girls in Athens are wearing for the latest edition of Travel InStyle.
How I Got There
The Delta One experience in New York’s JFK Airport is nothing less than miraculous. As I walked through the separate security entry, I checked my bag with an attendant and breezed through security checkpoints within 15 minutes. You can be sure that if you spend a lot on a Delta One ticket, it will be one of the most comfortable trips of your life.
After getting through TSA quickly, I spent several hours in the Delta One lounge of my airline, writing emails and eating an Earl Grey shortbread cookie and a Green Goddess salad. After boarding, I put my earplugs in, read a few Agatha Christie pages on my Kindle and fell asleep almost immediately. I woke up about seven hours into my 10-hour flight and spent the remainder of the time watching Audrey Hepburn movies while catching up with work.
When I landed in Athens and went to the Grande Bretagne Hotel, where I would be staying, I was rested, ready to see the sights, and had completed a full day of work. It’s a miracle!
What I Wore
I’m proud to say that I finally found my packing groove in 2025. It’s taken a while to reach this point, but it was worth the wait. In the past, I would stuff my favourite tops and clutches into a bag “just in case” or to “give myself options,” but I found in practice that this method caused more travel chaos.
My approach is to plan your outfits for each day in advance—head-to-toe. These items should be packed first in your carry-on. Add extras to your checked bag for sleep, lounging, and styling, in case you have. I hated everything; I brought panic moments. You’ll be covered if anything gets damaged or lost, and you won’t have to worry about it once you arrive at your destination.
Gustafsson recommends the classic white shirt for any trip to Greece. “I always travel with this classic COS shirt because it is such a versatile item. Outfits can be constructed around it in many different ways, reducing the need to pack too much.”
Less is more. You’ll be amazed at how many different looks you can create with just a few carefully chosen pieces.
I spent my first day in Athens exploring the city on foot. The evening ended with a beautiful welcome dinner shared with other travellers from Cos. The temperature was a cool 60 degrees, but I still wanted to look stylish. So, I chose a pair of flats with a linen jacket and wrap-around pants. This cropped jacket with big pants is my favourite for spring adventures throughout Europe. I love to wear it with lots of gold jewellery. I am a proud repeater of Ouftit, and it doesn’t matter who knows.
The second day of my stay in Athens revolved around shopping and Ouzo. I spent my day at the Cos Showroom, previewing the latest collection. I also walked the streets of Athens in search of secondhand items and enjoyed the Greeks’ signature aperitif during happy hour. I chose a navy dress with matching sandals and a leather jacket to keep it sleek and stylish.
I cannot tell you how many compliments I received on this jacket. I also noticed that leather outerwear and comfortable walking shoes are favourites among Athens’s cool girl crowd. There is nothing like a mild climate to inspire your fashion sense.
Cos’s runway was the grand finale of my trip. The event was held in the massive marble quarry and required a statement look. Cos delivered this Kelly Green outfit from head to toe. As soon as I saw the polo, I knew it was the one for me. The A-line skirt, also in the same colour, was the icing. I completed the look with cat-eye wire-framed glasses, a shiny, patent headband and ballet flats. This is a brat meets Audrey Hepburn look. It’s the kind of culture mashup I love to wear.
Shop Where I Shop
When I say that the shopping in Athens is great, I really mean it. There are a surprising number of boutiques, many of which are independently owned. I also found myself with more vintage than I could handle. My favourite stops included the Cos showroom, located in a restored Athenian Townhouse (check out these jelly-fisherman shoes), Rats Vintage (you’ll have to climb up a few flights of stairs, but it will be worth it to see all the old Moschino), Karavan clothing (this is a maximalist boutique), as well as countless other jewellery shops I passed.
Another highlight was the Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum, which featured pieces from his archive. Lalaounis’s collection of jewellery is a great way to introduce viewers to the history of art, the customs of Medieval kings and queens, and the traditional goldwork of Greece. This museum, located just a few blocks from the Acropolis (pun intended), was my favourite of the entire trip. Come for history, but stay for the amazing gift shop.
What I Saw
The Dionyssomarble quarry in Greece was one of my most memorable moments as a journalist. The Cos Spring/Summer fashion show, which took place in a marble cavern 45 minutes outside Athens and embodied both the city’s natural splendour and its cultural history, was held inside the cave.
Gustafsson says that this unforgettable location also inspired the Cos design team. Its captivating ambience serves as an ideal setting for amplifying the subtle elegance and effortless sophistication that define our collection. The marble-inspired colour palette is based on off-whites and warm earth tones with a deep brown.
As guests arrived, servers dressed in simple linens welcomed them with plates of perfectly ripe tomatoes and salty Greek cheese. While we waited for the show to start, light poured into the quarry, reflecting and refracting to create a surreal backdrop in which celebrities like Adrien Brody and Jodie Turner-Smith posed for pictures.
The show began with models walking down a stainless-steel staircase dressed in matching earth tones and sculptural suede. The music echoed through a vast quarry of marble, which the Greeks have used to create sculptures and objects since ancient times. There were also fluid dresses, which moved like sea life at the bottom Adriatic, and Renaissance prints. This spring collection included many cute sandals and ballet flats, which are perfect for my next summer trip.
Wearability was the most important factor. Gustafsson, the designer of the collection, says that the most important thing is to make the wearer feel empowered and confident in their pieces. The collection is centred around the relationship between structure and softness. This is expressed in the clean minimalism, sculptural shapes, and refined details.
A series of separates with breathable fabrics and easy tailoring stood out the most. This season, we emphasize the femininity in softly sculpted silhouettes and draped pieces,” says Gustafsson. The collection was designed to achieve harmony through contrast. We also explore a masculine style with tailoring that is reimagined in a deconstructed sense. The perfect balance is to pair a classic suit and one of the underlayers in transparent.
Who wouldn’t like to walk the hills of Athens wearing a button-down shirt and draped shorts? Why not dress in a linen pencil skirt with a view of the Acropolis when you meet fellow travellers for a spritz? I’m sure I will whenever I return to the city I love in Europe.
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