Onassis Foundation Turns Athens Arcade Into Fashion Hub

The Onassis Foundation will open Six Rings, a two-story fashion and culture destination inside the historic Matala Arcade at 99 Patission Boulevard in Athens, in December 2026. The project brings international fashion brands, emerging Greek designers, contemporary art, and independent local businesses under one roof.

Afroditi Panagiotakou, the Foundation's Artistic Director, and Stavros Karelis, Head of Fashion, developed the concept together. British artist Tim Etchells designed the visual identity, including a neon facade and logo drawn from Aristotle Onassis's idea of adding a sixth ring to the Olympic symbol for Olympic Airways. Greek architect and scenographer Loukas Bakas is responsible for the interiors, conceived as a contemporary home shaped by an evolving relationship between construction and deconstruction.

"Six Rings is not just a shop. It is a hive that produces content. It comes from afar, the Onassis tradition but looks towards what is coming next. It is a chain for connections between humans. It is a catalyst for unexpected encounters," said Panagiotakou.

What can shoppers actually find there?

The retail lineup is unusually specific. Six Rings will host the first Athens shop-in-shop by Yohji Yamamoto, plus an adidas space featuring Y-3 and collaborations with Grace Wales Bonner, Raf Simons, Rick Owens, and Simone Rocha. Other labels include Our Legacy, Martine Rose, Matières Fécales, Carhartt WIP, and Stüssy.

Greek brands are part of the program too: IT'S A SHIRT and Yiorgos Eleftheriades will both contribute. Independent Athenian businesses enter the mix through the Hyper Hypo bookshop and the Kopria flower shop.

What does Six Rings change for Athens?

Beyond retail, the venue will display artworks from the Onassis Collection, commission new artist works, and run workshops and mentoring initiatives. A program titled DIALOGUES, curated by Yiorgos Eleftheriades, will showcase emerging Greek designers. From 2027, a collaboration with Central Saint Martins will bring a fashion residency to Athens through the Onassis AiR program — a concrete pipeline connecting the city's designers to one of the world's best-known fashion schools.

The wider Matala Arcade renovation extends the offer. The Wine is Fine team will run an all-day food and drink concept, and STEGI.RADIO will provide soundscapes throughout the space. Later in 2027, the floor above Six Rings will open as the Petridis Collection, housing the extensive record collection of Greek radio producer Giannis Petridis, alongside listening spaces and music-focused events.

The project signals the Onassis Foundation's broader push to anchor contemporary culture in central Athens — and with Yamamoto, adidas and Central Saint Martins already attached, Six Rings positions the Greek capital on the global fashion map when doors open next December.