A Quarter Century of Curiosity: Lito Karakostanoglou Celebrates 25 Years of Wearable Art
In the ephemeral world of luxury fashion and fine jewelry, maintaining a distinct voice for a decade is an achievement; sustaining it for twenty-five years while remaining at the cutting edge of avant-garde design is a triumph. As she marks her 25th anniversary, Athens-based designer Lito Karakostanoglou is doing more than just looking back at the legacy of Lito Fine Jewelry—she is actively redefining it. With the launch of her provocative new “Cosmic Guardians” collection and a vibrant expansion of her iconic “Tu Es Partout” series, Lito proves that her creative well is deeper than ever.
“To be honest, it still surprises me that 25 years have gone by since I first started,” says Karakostanoglou. Reflecting on a career that has bridged the gap between ancient Mediterranean tradition and modern surrealism, she adds, “When I look back, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I feel deeply blessed to have spent all these years doing what I truly love, and even more so to know that the passion is still there. After 25 years, I’m still inspired, still curious, and still excited about everything there is left to explore and create.”
From Advertising to Artistry: The Self-Taught Journey of Lito
The story of Lito Fine Jewelry is not one of a traditional apprenticeship within the closed circles of European jewelry houses. Instead, it is the story of a woman who followed an unconventional path, driven by an innate sense of aesthetics and a desire for self-expression. Lito’s journey began far from the jeweler’s bench; she originally earned a master’s degree in advertising, a field that sharpened her understanding of communication, symbolism, and the power of a narrative.
However, the call of the physical object was too strong to ignore. Moving from the world of digital strategy to the tactile world of precious metals, she established her “Open Studio” in the heart of Athens in 1999. This hybrid space—part boutique, part laboratory—allowed her to experiment freely. Being self-taught meant she wasn’t bound by the “rules” of traditional goldsmithing, allowing her to approach jewelry through the lens of sculpture and art.
To further refine her vision, she later moved to Paris, studying sculpture and life drawing at the prestigious École Nationale des Beaux-Arts, and technical drawing at the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Bijouterie, Joaillerie et Orfèvrerie. This period in Paris was transformative; she designed pieces for the runways of fashion giants like Kenzo and Jean Paul Gaultier, experiences that infused her work with a high-fashion edge while grounding it in meticulous craftsmanship.
“Over the years, the business has grown and evolved far beyond those days, but the core of my work has remained unchanged,” she explains. “My purpose has always been to create jewelry that invites women to embrace their sensuality and express their femininity and individuality on their own terms.”
The All-Seeing Eye: The Legend of the Tu Es Partout Collection
If there is one motif that has come to define the Lito brand globally, it is the “Tu Es Partout” (You Are Everywhere) series. While the “evil eye” is a ubiquitous symbol across the Mediterranean, Lito’s interpretation is legendary for its surreal realism. Unlike the flat, mass-produced glass beads found in tourist shops, Lito’s eyes are hauntingly lifelike.
To achieve this, she collaborates with Russian iconographers—artists trained in the ancient, painstaking tradition of painting religious icons. Working from a small village outside of Moscow, these artisans hand-paint the iris and pupil of each eye with microscopic detail. These tiny masterpieces are then enameled, encased in 14k or 18k gold, and often surrounded by a halo of precious stones.
Modernizing a Mediterranean Icon
For her 25th anniversary, Lito has returned to this signature motif with a renewed sense of playfulness and technical ambition. She recently introduced nine new designs to the collection, moving away from traditional blues to explore a “rainbow” palette. These new amulets feature an array of semi-precious and precious stones, including tanzanite, spinel, sapphires, and brilliant-cut diamonds.
“I returned to this motif with fresh curiosity, finding new ways to reinterpret and abstract it,” Lito says. “Each piece allowed me to further explore the eye as a symbol—at once protective and seductive, ancient and contemporary—while continuing a dialogue that has been central to my practice from the very beginning.”
The Secret Language of the Wearer
One of the most intimate aspects of the Tu Es Partout collection is what lies on the reverse side of the jewelry. Lito often engraves secret messages or poetic phrases on the back of the gold casing, creating a private connection between the piece and its owner. For the designer, the jewelry is not just an ornament; it is a talisman, a “guardian” that carries a specific energy or memory for the woman who wears it.
Cosmic Guardians: A Tribute to Mother Nature’s Hidden Perfection
While the eye represents the spiritual and the protective, Lito’s newest collection, “Cosmic Guardians,” turns its gaze toward the natural world—specifically the mesmerizing, iridescent world of the scarab beetle. This 14-piece collection is perhaps her most ambitious to date, blending the boundaries between natural history and high jewelry.
When Taxidermy Meets Fine Jewelry
“Cosmic Guardians” features one-of-a-kind creations utilizing real taxidermied scarabs, sourced from regions as diverse as the Philippines and Costa Rica. Species like the Chrysina aurigans—known for its astonishing metallic gold sheen—and the Heterorrhina macleayi are meticulously preserved and set into 18k gold.
To create these pieces, Lito had to master new techniques and exercise immense patience. The organic fragility of the scarab requires a level of precision that exceeds typical stone setting. Each beetle is encased in a gold framework that protects its delicate structure while highlighting its natural luminescence. Many pieces are further embellished with diamonds and rubies, elevating the insect from a biological specimen to a “Cosmic Guardian.”
A Journey Through Symbolism and Species
The scarab has been a potent symbol for millennia, most famously in Ancient Egypt, where it represented rebirth, transformation, and the sun. By using real insects, Lito pays tribute to the idea that “no two forms—no two women—are ever the same.”
The collection also emphasizes the concept of jewelry as objet d’art. Each piece comes with a custom-made porcelain “habitat” or stand, allowing the jewelry to be displayed as a sculpture when not being worn. This dual nature—as both a wearable talisman and a contemplative object—underscores Lito’s belief in the “alchemy” of design, where the familiar is transformed into something extraordinary.
Surrealism and Objects of Desire: The L’Amour Perlé Brooch
Within the expanded Tu Es Partout series, the “L’Amour Perlé” (Pearled Love) brooch stands out as a masterpiece of surrealist design. The piece features a large, deep blue enameled eye, but it is the “tears” or “clouds” of pearls—varying in size and color—that give the piece its poetic weight.
“Its scale and surrealist language place it somewhere between jewelry and objet d’art,” Karakostanoglou notes. “It echoes the tradition of surrealism where the familiar becomes slightly displaced, charged with emotion and ambiguity.”
The brooch has resonated deeply with collectors, perhaps because it captures a sense of intellectualized romance. Lito admits she was delighted by how instinctively women connected with the design. It confirms a growing desire in the market for jewelry that isn’t just “pretty,” but is poetic, intellectual, and emotionally resonant.
Handcrafted Excellence in the Heart of Athens
Despite her global success and presence in top-tier retailers like Net-a-Porter and WhiteBird, Lito remains fiercely committed to local craftsmanship. Every piece of Lito Fine Jewelry is entirely handcrafted in her personal atelier in Athens.
She works alongside a small, dedicated team of master goldsmiths and craftspeople. For each new collection, a specific master artisan is assigned to oversee the production from inception to the final polish, ensuring that the quality remains uncompromising. This “slow jewelry” approach is a direct contrast to the fast-paced, mass-produced world of modern luxury.
Her flagship boutique in Athens, named “Cabinet of Curiosities,” reflects this philosophy. Located on a quiet street in the Kolonaki district, it is a space designed for discovery, where visitors can immerse themselves in Lito’s “cosmos” of radiant light, ancient symbolism, and modern grit.
Conclusion: The Next 25 Years of Exploration
Lito Karakostanoglou’s 25-year milestone is not a finish line, but a vantage point. From the “Open Studio” of 1999 to the “Cosmic Guardians” of today, her trajectory has been one of constant evolution. She has successfully managed to keep her brand relevant by staying true to her own curiosity rather than chasing fleeting trends.
As she looks toward the future, her mission remains the same: to create jewelry that serves as a mirror to the complex, multi-faceted nature of the women who wear it. Whether it is through a protective eye or an iridescent scarab, Lito reminds us that fine jewelry is, at its best, a form of magic—a way to carry our stories, our strengths, and our mysteries with us wherever we go.
“I’m still inspired, still curious,” she repeats, a sentiment that serves as a promise to her collectors. For Lito, the journey of exploration is infinite, and the next 25 years are sure to be just as enchanting as the first.
