PATTERNS OF CONNECTION: Themis Z and the Art of Gathering

There’s a rhythm to the world of Themis Z, one that mirrors Athens itself — light spilling over marble, shadows brushing neoclassical façades, and bursts of color that echo from antiquity into modern life. For founder and designer Themis Zouganeli, patterns are more than decoration. They’re stories.

“I design patterns inspired by my everyday life in Athens,” she says. “Walking through the city, you’re constantly in the midst of history, art, sunlight, and color. Each pattern I create is a manifestation of all of these elements.”

Her collections capture that essence without leaning into clichés. “It’s not ethnic or folklore,” she explains, “but international—rich in history, sophisticated, elegant, and relaxed. THEMIS Z is a Greek lifestyle.” The clarity of the Greek light, the warmth of its heritage, and the effortless elegance of its culture run through everything she touches, whether a porcelain plate, a silk caftan, or a patterned cushion. Each piece seems to hold the echo of the sun on whitewashed stone or the shimmer of the Aegean sky.

Balance is her design language. “I adore symmetry, it relaxes me. In my homes and my table settings you will always find it. I don’t believe in imperfections. Each brushstroke has its own tones, its own variations—but to me, that’s perfect. That’s the beauty of art.”

Themis Z began at the table. Hosting was her first canvas, and it remains at the heart of the brand. “‘Filoxenia,’ a Greek word meaning love of hosting, is our core. A table dressed with plates, glasses, linens, flowers, and candles sets the mood for connection.” That same sense of gathering infuses her approach to fashion and lifestyle, where sophistication is inseparable from warmth.

When she defines luxury today, it’s not about excess, it’s about intimacy. “Luxury is about human connections. It’s being surrounded with good friends or interesting people around a beautiful table. Luxury is quality. I prefer less, but better—whether in clothing, homeware, or relationships.”

Her vision is ambitious but deeply rooted: to bring Greece—its light, heritage, and contemporary elegance—into homes and wardrobes everywhere. “My goal is to promote Greece in a way that hasn’t been done before: patterns that are inherently Greek but modern, aesthetics that embody joy, warmth, authenticity.”

If her designs could whisper, she believes they’d say: “Thank you for bringing Greek sophistication to the world.”

And she still dreams of one collaboration in particular. “Ralph Lauren personifies the elegant American lifestyle as THEMIS Z personifies the Greek. Together it would be fabulous.”

Fifty years from now, she hopes her work will be remembered not only for its beauty, but for its vision: Greece, not as a postcard, but as a living, breathing heritage woven into the art of everyday life.