Interviewe mat Antonia Skaraki

I studied Visual Communication and Advertisement – graphic design in Vakalo. I worked as head of the art department in several magazines and as a creative director in Able Communications. I was a co-founder of Design Lab where I served as V.P., I organized the Athens Design Games with Dimitris Fakinos at a biennale of Greek artists. I founded Karamella advertising in 1993 and in 2000, when the company became S.A. I served as a V.P. In 2005. I regularly participate as a keynote speaker at meetings and conferences on issues concerning Branding and modern concepts of tourism. Recently I held a personal exhibition in my hometown Chania, Crete called: 14 Stories 14 Routes Local & Global identity (branding). I also practice mentoring as a member of HUB 2 B in Crete, of the Dubai Center for Risk Innovation, member of the British University of Dubai, and member of Women’s Business Angels.

Natural born designer. It was a call of nature.Design is a matter, or state of being. Being happy, being self-content, being sad, being creative, being communicative, in harmony and being expressive. Design is a form of expression.

The right listening. The need becomes inspiration. The inspiration becomes an idea. The idea becomes strategy. The strategy becomes an application. The application opens the way through the market.

One emotion. JOY and mood for play.

It’s a natural evolution of myself. I could not imagine myself doing anything else.

To design until the age of 100 and to promote Greece.

Just one thing, Passion.

To observe, to focus, to analyze, to penetrate, to synthesize and finally to implement the synthesis that leads to the application.

Being with my team and “play”!

I observe them, analyze and deconstruct them in order to rebuild them at the extent of my preference.

I need to feel it. If I feel it, the acceptance is coming. The acceptance serves the purpose of creativity.

A design is never ready, because nothing ends, ever.

There are many inspired projects businesses over the last 30 years, that give me pleasure when I see them and I hope that the best is yet to come.

Le Corbusier, Gaudi, Philipe Starck, Vivienne Westwood, Neville Brody.

The Cretan temperament, the mood for play and my son’s smile define my culture and life.

I work a lot with groups and my team. The question is for how long can the teams bear with me.

I participated in the European Community Equal program with the project Andromeda – Actions against racial segregation in workplace environment. I practice mentoring as a member of the Dubai Center for Risk Innovation, member of the British University of Dubai, and member of Women’s Business Angels.

It is another route which gave me the opportunity to show my business in a broad highly trained audience such as the A Design’s. Thank you for that.

Pet Pet, means emphatic love for our pets. This is the driving force behind the design. The wish to show that every dog is different, every dog is loved and deserves the best treatment. Apart from the love we have for pets, we were inspired by the love they have for us. The unconditional love, and the happiness they show at every minute of the day. There is a sense of freedom when two parties love each other irrevocably and this is another feeling that inspired this work.

The work incorporates vibrant, eye-catching colors and simple graphics reminiscent of infographics, along with linear illustrations of dogs. Transparency is prioritized, with the nutrition facts table prominently displayed on the front. The logo, an illustration of a dog tag, symbolizes belonging and care. One unique detail is the paw symbol replacing the ™ symbol, signifying pet approval. The overall design creates a dynamic and postmodern brand that inspires positive emotions and a sense of freedom.

Amplifying the recognition and success of the design to help promote the brand and increase sales. This could involve showcasing the design in marketing materials, advertising campaigns, and other promotional efforts. Ultimately, the goal is to continue to support the client's marketing and branding efforts through effective and impactful design work.

it took approximately 5 months to complete the design. During this time, there was a lot of research on the client's brand, target audience, and industry trends to ensure that the design was both visually appealing and effective in meeting the client's goals. Overall, the design process for this project was thorough and involved multiple rounds of revisions to ensure that the final product met the client's needs and exceeded their expectations.

The client asked us to come up with a complete series of dog food and treats.

There was a strategic decision to stand out of the competition by using something fresh. Overall, we felt that this work with its vibrant colours and intense graphics conveyed the joy and sense of freedom we intented to communicate from the start.

The idea came from a gut feeling mainly and with a little help from elements of the coffee and food packaging genre.

Gen Z and millennials who see their pets as members of their family and want the best for them. They are tired with ordinary brands and want a brand that they feel it understands them.

The elements of infographics and vibrant colours make these packs pop. They avoid the usual photo of a dog. Instead they portray different breeds of dogs without features or details. This makes dog owners picture their own dog in front of the pack.

Though the name is straight forward, the repetition of the word "pet" creates a playful combination.

Adobe Illustrator for the character designs and Adobe photoshop for the 3D modeling of the mockups.

The dog tag.

The challenge was to create something bold and trendy using primary colours and simple graphics without making it look as if addressed to children. The result was something youthful and playful addressed to the right target group.

It was a design we all loved dearly. We thought if judges loved it the way we did, perhaps we had a chance of winning. The character of the design as well as the product is universal, therefore we knew it addressed international competitions.

The matriarch of the Greek family, with her homemade recipes, embodies the value of family and the love a mother gives to her children.

This is about how a real person became the inspiration for a multi-awarded brand. How the story of a family of Cretan bakers who wanted to pay tribute to their mother and her recipes created something unique yet totally functional. Her guiding spirit guided our design which made her the heroine of the brand. Her face, through the art of lithography, made it alive. Her hair and dress acquired pieces of breads and wheat fields. Her ribbons were made of scraps and leftover papers which instead of being thrown away, became part of the creation.

I would seek to leverage the recognition and success of the design to help promote the brand and increase sales. This could involve showcasing the design in marketing materials, advertising campaigns, and other promotional efforts. Ultimately, my goal would be to continue to support the client's marketing and branding efforts through effective and impactful design work.

it took me approximately 3 months to complete the design. During this time, I researched the client's brand, target audience, and industry trends to ensure that the design was both visually appealing and effective in meeting the client's goals. Overall, the design process for this project was thorough and involved multiple rounds of revisions to ensure that the final product met the client's needs and exceeded their expectations.

Adobe Illustrator for the design and Adobe Photoshop for the 3D modeling of the mockups and the photos on the packaging

I would seek to leverage the recognition and success of the design to help promote the brand and increase sales. This could involve showcasing the design in marketing materials, advertising campaigns, and other promotional efforts. Ultimately, my goal would be to continue to support the client's marketing and branding efforts through effective and impactful design work.

it took me approximately 2 months to complete the design. During this time, I researched the client's brand, target audience, and industry trends to ensure that the design was both visually appealing and effective in meeting the client's goals. Overall, the design process for this project was thorough and involved multiple rounds of revisions to ensure that the final product met the client's needs and exceeded their expectations.

It was commissioned

Adobe Illustrator for the design and Adobe Photoshop for the 3D modeling of the mockups.

Creating a package with two separate containers, one for red and one for white wine, with two different orifices, in a container which reminds us of the place where great wines are born, the barrel.

We wanted to end the dillema of choosing a red or white wine. Now you can enjoy both in one packaging.

To break the stereotypes of a bottled wine being better than a packaged wine and make it easier for people to be able to buy both white and red wine.

The creation of innovative packaging that will break the stereotypes in the market of bottled wine and that will radically change the way of choosing a quality wine.

The challenge was to bridge the gap between those who prefer white and those who prefer red wine, eliminating the dilemmas of the final choice.

The challenge was to bridge the gap between those who prefer white and those who prefer red wine, eliminating the dilemmas of the final choice.

No there weren't.

Adults of both sexes and all ages, who enjoy wine, usually with company.

We created a package with two separate containers, one for red and one for white wine, with two different funels, something that had never been done before.

A lot of people usually cannot decide whether to buy red or white wine, especially when there are a lot of people involved in the decision, with different taste. We ended their dilema by fusing the two wines in one packaging, and this is how the name derived.

An inovvative package that breaks the cliches of bottled wine and defies the norm was the focus of The Wine Barrel Dilemma project. Bridging the gap between white and red wine enthusiasts with a 2 in 1 easy to serve package, we ended the usual dilemma by creating a practical, easy to carry design that accomodates two barrels, each one with its unique tap that enhances the wine tasting experience.

The wine out of the box, which is the notion of moving wine from the big barrel to a smaller barrel so as to not lose its natural habitat is a creative concept and the mix of two different wines in one packaging is an innovation.

Our philosophy can be described as:

The old barrel

The new barrel

The wine barrel

Dilemmas? The end!

Wine out of the box

I studied Visual Communication and Advertisement – graphic design in Vakalo. I worked as head of the art department in several magazines and as a creative director in Able Communications. I was a co-founder of Design Lab where I served as V.P., I organized the Athens Design Games with Dimitris Fakinos at a biennale of Greek artists. I founded Karamella advertising in 1993 and in 2000, when the company became S.A. I served as a V.P. In 2005, I participated in the European Community Equal program with the project Andromeda – Actions against racial segregation in workplace environment. I regularly participate as a keynote speaker at meetings and conferences on issues concerning Branding and modern concepts of tourism. Recently I held a personal exhibition in my hometown Chania, Crete called: 14 Stories 14 Routes Local & Global identity (branding).

Design is a matter, or state of being. Being happy, being self-content, being sad, being creative, being communicative, in harmony and being expressive. Design is a form of expression.

Natural born designer.

Branding is “The Thing” for me but whatever is challenging is welcome. If it’s challenging, bring it on.

Work – passion - work

The great designer has failed a lot more times than a good designer. Moreover a great designer never rests upon her/his success.

Being something unique and something that not only the professionals appreciate but also the whole world.

Because a good design says a 1000 different things with a glimpse of an eye.

I'd like to do some things for me. To design personal projects, allow myself the luxury of having myself as the client.

I have one dream: to design a project along with my son who's specializing in visual arts. I hope one day we'll be able to materialize this dream project.

Having the correct team, having a close relationship with them and always challenging ourselves. Teamwork is one of the ingredients for success. Another ingredient is a throughly conducted strategy based in research analysis and insights. Talent is also one of the main ingredients. Put all these together and you have the recipe for success.

Le Corbusier, Gaudi, Philippe Starck, Vivienne Westwood.

Can’t tell.

We overcome ourselves everyday. Each day we create something that is better than the one yesterday. So, no, I don't have a greatest design, only great designs every day.

Analyzing, synthesizing, travelling, working, reading, smiling, loving.

A mum of many many children. I'd love to have them running around, cooking for them, nurturing.

It's symmetry, passion, life, beauty.

My mentor, Hristos Arvanitis, designer.

My endless passion for what I do.

My effort to try to convince my senior colleagues to allow me express my suggestions.

There should not be any kind of norms. Every project is directly related with its designer and presented according to their personality. Presentation is a permormance and each performer has their own style. This the magic when we exhibit our work.

To never stop to self-inspire, in order to build a tank full of inspiration, from where I can draw material to help young designers, to help my colleagues find new paths, explore new worlds.

To always challenge and overcome their expectations.

Design = image

Design = positioning

Design = communication

Design = attitude

Can’t tell.

I draw satisfaction from every project. Each one has something to give me. Each one I use to admire, compare, get angry, jealous, thankful.

I'd like to see the people of our industry better alligned with the world today. We tend, sometimes, to lose ourselves in our microcosm. We have to get out there, hear, smell, touch, learn. Also, I'd like to see more women. In my country, the design industry is still ruled mainly by men.

It's making a switch towards a more functional and environmentally friendly practice.

We don’t know how long it takes for the spark to light up. And each project has its own whims. So, it's hard to set a time. It can be a very short project or it can be one evolving with time.

First I get to know the product I have to design. I want to be in the shoes of the manufacturer. In the shoes of the consumer. Explore its world. Feel it. Only then can I start designing it.

Seize the day

Sometimes design sets the trends, at other times the opposite happens. It's a dual relationship with a double dynamic.

We use it and we love what it can do for us. But it's not our inspiration merely our tool.

Adobe creative suite, Photoshop, Illustrator,In Design, XD, After Effects. Equipment: Apple iMac

Colour is feeling. Colour can evoke different reactions and it also creates categories in products. Materials influence functionality, image of quality and placement of products.

Rather than asking, we want our design to evoke glimpses of memories in people. We want it to trigger the process of thought and interaction. We want our design to become a part of people.

How wonderful the idea is. How brilliant its application.

Teamwork - teamwork - teamwork

Giannis Xenakis

It is every book on every single moment on any given time.

Work, inspiration work, fail and try again.

Socrates, Epicurus

Yellow, Crete, mousakas, spring, a painting, Supreme.

A letter that received from a company, letting me know that our work was exceptional but we cannot work together because our passion and creativity cannot be controlled!!

The smile I exchange with my partner before leaving the house, the good morning exchanges at the coffee place as I grab my coffee, the happy morning chatter in the office, the dedication on the work itself and closing the day with a little chat with my son.

I had no clue then.

I cannot predict the future, but I'm an optimist. And in a thousand years I hope my soul rests in a world that has the image of a thousand valleys full of colourful wild flowers.

See it, feel it.

Absolutely yes! Art is a form of communication, and being a designer is my way to communicate.

Allow me to describe it in English words that have Greek roots:

Dynamic works characterized by talent, fantasy and energy.

The protagonist: every project.

To bring fresh and innovative ideas to life.

To communicate visual sensations.

To craft great experiences.

Anything that stimulates the senses. I strongly believe that multi-sensory design considers not just the shape of things but how things shape us… our behavior, our emotions, our inner truth. Our senses are powerful forces, and when more than one sense is stimulated at a time, there are wildly creative applications.

The universe. The extreme fine-tuning of so many laws of nature that leads to the greatest design of all. The cosmos; anything having order is, for the ancient Greeks, a cosmos!

Myself! Well, in a figurative sense, of course! But this is the first thing that I had to do when I created my first design & communication company, Karamella.

I don’t have a specific favorite. Every little thing has its own beauty! We should always choose the best tool that can help us reach our strategic goals.

I feel most creative first thing in the morning, seeing the first sunrays. After all, cutting-edge research shows that exposure to nature and access to daylight can spark creativity!

Fresh ideas and innovation. And of course, strategic analysis.

I feel like a teenager. Design is the way you think; the way you explore, discover and create.

Joy and pride.

Strategy. It is not enough to create something beautiful. You have to create something useful, perpetual and enduring.

The strategy. And of course, the concept. Most of the well-known designs globally are famous because of their concepts. Many have failed just because of the opposite.

The idea that designing carries social and ethical responsibilities is not new. Designing is creating. And with creation comes responsibility. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the global challenges set before us.

We need to prepare for the changing nature of the industry. We need designers who can push the limits of design and keep a constant focus on innovation. Designers have always worked at the intersection of cultural trends. But today these cultural trends are being accelerated by advances in technology! Of course, we should also take into account the perpetual need for harmony.

My last exhibition was in the “Good Design Greece”, an exhibition held in my homeland, Greece, fueling thoughts about art and exploring the prospects of design philosophy.

My inspirations come from many sources, from life’s experiences. You know, most designers, when lacking ideas, turn to galleries to find new perspectives. But there is a major problem with that approach; when taking inspiration from similar mediums, there’s a fine line between “inspired by” and “copied”.

I love my country’s history and heritage. And I often get inspired by it. In a similar way, I always focus on other cultural references and current global trends when I’m asked to work on international projects.

Greece is a cornucopia. A symbol of abundance. The place where the notion of philosophy was born. So, yes, of course the cultural heritage of my country affects my designs, the way in which I understand the world, the way in which I feel the world!

I work with people who share the same ideas and values with me. And I always want to gather inquisitive people around me.

Fit the brief to the correct designer. And keep inspiring your designers’ team! Inspiration is always the first key-step.

Brief (see and notice) – Brainstorming (think and co-exist) – Creations (express your inner needs).

My Poaa Dumbbells by Philippe Starck – almost like a sculpture! A ‘le Petit Prince’ doll. A Pear sculpture, a symbol for fertility with a modern, surrealist twist. A Supreme skateboard. And a spiral, a symbol for evolution, life and creation.

Creative!

Passion. And never stop learning!

Dream big. Think big. That’s what you do when you are a good designer.

Exceed your expectations.

Creativity and curiosity. Analysis. The insatiable desire to create through design.

I always choose tools to fit the brief.

Time management is often the biggest challenge. I always try to follow the work flow with consistency, and double-check the needs of each project.

Every project is special, and the needs and time frameworks for each work are different. But what is important (and what you can define) is the moment; the moment of inspiration, the moment when you find the right concept.

Can you analyze this?

Every single day offers a different experience; that’s the mafic of this profession!

Branding. Design is about seeing opportunities, about making intelligent, strategic decisions.

To ‘be present’ for as long as possible.

In every aspect of a business, the diverse skills of teams are needed for reaching success. The importance of teamwork cannot be stressed enough! The French language has an excellent expression to describe it: esprit de corps. This means a sense of unity, of enthusiasm for common interests and responsibilities.

skaraki@antoniaskaraki.com & www.antoniaskaraki.com

There is something beautiful about a shadow. It allows us to see something without fully seeing it. It exists between presence and absence, between reality and memory.When we were working on Eleology, we found ourselves thinking less about the olive branch and more about the Greek light that reveals it. A branch can be photographed, illustrated or reproduced endlessly. A shadow cannot. It is unique to the moment. It changes with the sun, the season, the passing of time.The shadow of the olive branch felt like a quiet metaphor for everything Eleology stands for. It suggests rather than declares. It leaves space for contemplation. In a world full of visual noise, we wanted to create something that whispers.For us, the shadow was no longer just a graphical moment but became a reminder that the most meaningful things in life are often felt instead of seen.

One of the paradoxes of packaging is that we often devote so much thought and craftsmanship to creating something that is destined to be discarded. From the very beginning, we wanted to challenge that idea.When the oil is gone, the story does not have to end. We designed the bottle to remain in the home, not as packaging but as an object. A vase. A keepsake. A quiet reminder of the values it carries. Sustainability, for us, is not only about materials or recycling. It is also about creating things that people choose to keep.This philosophy extended to the paper-and-leather bookmark attached to the bottle. While it communicates the olive oil's quality characteristics, it was designed to remain useful beyond the moment of purchase. Objects survive when they earn an emotional place in our lives. I believe the future of packaging lies in designing fewer disposable objects and more meaningful ones. The most sustainable package may not be the one that disappears most efficiently, but the one that is loved enough to stay.

The greatest challenge was not creating the shadow, but preserving its fragility. A shadow is not an object. It has no outline, no weight and no permanence. The moment it becomes too sharp or too visible, it stops feeling like a shadow.For that reason, the silk-screen printing process became a critical part of the design. It allowed us to control the softness, density and presence of the image with great precision on a curved surface. We wanted the shadow to appear as if it had landed naturally on the bottle rather than being imposed upon it.We chose glass because it ages gracefully, remains in the home and invites a second life. Silk-screen printing allowed the shadow of the olive branch to become part of the bottle itself rather than a decorative graphic applied to it. Together, the material and printing method helped transform the package from a container into an object of memory, reflecting the enduring relationship between Greek people, light and the olive tree.

For many years, premium packaging was associated with abundance. More embellishment, more materials, more visual signals of luxury. I believe we are entering a different era.Today's consumers are increasingly drawn to authenticity rather than excess. They are looking for products that have a clear point of view, a genuine story and a sense of purpose. In that context, simplicity becomes a powerful form of confidence. With Eleology, we wanted to show that premium design can be quiet, thoughtful and deeply rooted in culture. Its value comes from meaning. Even consumers who never consciously analyse design can feel the difference. They may not notice the printing technique or the symbolism, but they recognise honesty, care and coherence when they encounter it.I believe the future of premium packaging lies not in adding more, but in saying more with less.

There wasn't a single dramatic breakthrough. It happened gradually, through a process of letting go.Like many projects rooted in a strong cultural tradition, Eleology initially presented countless possibilities. We could have shown olive trees, landscapes, farmers, groves, historical references or symbols associated with Greece. The challenge was not finding ideas. The challenge was deciding which ones to leave behind.We began removing elements until only what truly mattered remained. Light. Shadow. Texture. Silence.That process taught us that simplicity requires a lot of discipline and trust. That a whisper can sometimes be more powerful than a shout. In a market crowded with visual noise, simplicity is often the most difficult choice because it asks you to resist the temptation to explain everything. The moment we stopped trying to describe Greece and started trying to evoke it, the design found its voice.

Culture is not a collection of symbols. It is a way of seeing, living and relating to the world.When people think of Greece, they often think of olive trees, blue seas or ancient monuments. Those references are real, but they are only the surface. What interested us was something deeper: the quality of the light, the texture of a wall that has aged under the sun, the quiet dialogue between nature and architecture that exists in so many Greek villages.The more we immersed ourselves in these details, the more we understood that cultural honesty comes from observation rather than representation. It is about understanding what gives a place its character and allowing that essence to shape the design.Authenticity often lies in the small, almost unnoticed things. Those observations influenced every design decision and ultimately allowed us to create something that feels rooted in Greece without needing to constantly announce it.

Eleology did not introduce a new philosophy to our studio. It reinforced one we already believed in: that the most meaningful design emerges from feeling deeply. As consumers become more conscious of both cultural authenticity and environmental responsibility, I believe the role of design will become less about creating attention and more about creating connection. People increasingly want to know where products come from, who made them and what values they represent. Design can help tell those stories in a truthful and engaging way.For us, projects like Eleology confirm that strategy, culture and sustainability are not separate conversations. They are part of the same narrative. A package should not only protect a product or attract a buyer. It should express a worldview.Looking ahead, we will continue to create brands and packaging that are rooted in real places, real people and real values.

I hope Eleology reminds designers that storytelling and function are not competing priorities. The strongest design solutions emerge when the two become inseparable.Too often, storytelling is treated as something added to a product after the functional decisions have been made. Yet every material, texture, shape and production choice already tells a story. The question is whether that story is intentional.With Eleology, we tried to ensure that every element carried meaning. The shadow, the materials, the tactile surfaces and even the bottle's second life all served the same narrative. Nothing was included simply for decoration.One of the details is the sonnet printed on the bottle itself. It transforms the object from a vessel into a storyteller. Along with the paper-and-leather bookmark, the two elements express the belief that functionality and storytelling become most powerful when they coexist.I believe the most exciting work happens when creativity is guided by purpose and when functionality is enriched by emotion. When those two forces work together, design moves beyond aesthetics and becomes something people can connect with. In a world saturated with images, meaningful experiences are becoming far more valuable than visual impressions.

The relationship between the box and the bottle was fundamental to the concept. We never designed them as separate objects. They were conceived as parts of the same visual idea.The textured box represents the plastered wall of a Greek village house, shaped by sunlight, weather and time. The bottle becomes the shadow of the olive branch cast upon that wall. One element completes the other. Together, they recreate a fleeting moment most Mediterranean people recognise instinctively.This idea helped us avoid treating the box as merely protective packaging and the bottle as the sole protagonist. Neither exists without the other. The wall needs the shadow, and the shadow needs the wall.

We never set out to make Eleology feel international. We set out to make it feel true.There is often a temptation to simplify or generalise cultural identity in order to make it accessible to a wider audience. Our experience has been the opposite. The more honestly and in detail you express a place, the more universally people respond to it. Authenticity travels remarkably well.For Eleology, that meant moving beyond obvious symbols and focusing on experiences: the quality of Greek light, the texture of a village wall, the shadow of an olive branch on a summer afternoon. These are deeply local references, yet they speak to universal human emotions such as memory, belonging, beauty and connection to nature.I believe that is the principle most transferable to other designers. Do not begin by asking how to make a culture understandable to the world. Begin by understanding it yourself. Observe carefully. Listen carefully. Respect complexity. If the work is honest enough, people from very different backgrounds will not necessarily recognise the reference, but they will recognise the feeling.