Female-founded leather goods house, hand-stitched in an Athens atelier since 2013.
Callista is a Greek leather goods house founded in 2013 in Athens by Celia Sigalou and Eleni Konstantinidou. Celia trained as a civil engineer at the National Technical University of Athens; Eleni studied at the Athens University of Economics and holds a Master's in marketing from Webster University in Geneva. The two launched the brand at the height of the Greek economic crisis, building the line around an iconic Tote bag.
All production happens at the brand's 850 square metre atelier in Nea Kifissia, north of Athens, where around 25 women artisans cut and hand-stitch each piece. Leather is sourced from Italian manufacturers. The signature Tote requires more than three hours of handwork and includes around 950 hand stitches, 356 hand-tied knots, and a top handle made from twelve metres of hand-knotted leather cord.
Callista now sells through its flagship at 4 Voukourestiou Street in central Athens, two ATTICA department-store corners, the Athens International Airport store, and a network of more than 50 multi-brand boutiques worldwide. The catalogue covers leather handbags including totes, shoulder, crossbody, bucket and clutch bags, plus belts, small leather goods and a recent expansion into ready-to-wear and home pieces.
Callista was started in 2013 by civil engineer Celia Sigalou and Eleni Konstantinidou, who came from marketing, in the middle of the Greek economic crisis. Production happens in their own 850 square metre atelier in Nea Kifissia, north of Athens, where around 25 women artisans cut and hand-stitch each piece using Italian leather. The signature Tote takes more than three hours of handwork and around 950 stitches and 356 knots, the top handle hand-knotted from twelve metres of leather cord. The flagship sits at 4 Voukourestiou Street in central Athens.
