Behind the seams of the stunning jewellery pieces used in ‘The Woman King’

The Woman King is an upcoming cinematic epic inspired by the true events of the African kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th and 19th centuries and features household Hollywood names such as Viola Davis and John Boyega.

The story follows a matriarchal military unit struggling against an imperial power in times of widespread societal change. The film has been shot in SA and includes local legends such as former Generations actor Seputla Sebogodi, composer Lebo M and Thusi Mbedu, and statement pieces from a local jewellery designer. The film is expected to be released by Sony Pictures in mid-September this year.

We spoke to Athena Argyrakis, a Johannesburg-based jewellery designer whose statement pieces will be shown in all their glory this spring. Argyrakis is an award-winning multidisciplinary storyteller, whether her medium is film, shoes or jewellery. Her lifelong passion for fashion has seen her study in London and Milan.

Argyrakis believes all women are goddesses and enhances this innate strength and beauty through her designs and inspiration of ancient mythology.

You have a diverse and celebrated history in the arts. Could you elaborate on your journey and its impact on your designs?

I am super grateful that I am able to be a multidisciplinary creative whereby I am able to combine my two loves and passions — film and fashion. A few years back, I took a break from the film/TV industry to pursue my interest and yearning for fashion — specifically shoe design.

I had the fabulous opportunity to study in one of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan, Italy, for a year and then went on to study at The London College of Fashion.

Fashion is so intimately linked to film as it aids the narrative of a story, so I find it such a natural extension of my editing storytelling skills, to further visually express a story through fashion — more specifically jewellery. Hence the brand Athena A, was born four years ago.

Did you design these pieces specifically for the Woman King?

Following my Greek heritage, I was named after the Greek goddess Athena, hence the brand name. Each piece of jewellery is named after various goddesses. Our jewellery is bold, strong and makes a statement, while still carrying with it a feminine energy, felt by all those who wear the pieces.

I was incredibly lucky that my jewellery was sourced by the The Woman King design team who resonated with the brand energy and made their selection from our existing line. They were looking for very specific pieces that would help tell this historical, epic story inspired by true events that happened in the kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Strong, powerful, feminine, greatly admired — are all adjectives associated with goddesses. These qualities can also be linked to Viola Davis and Thusi Mbedu, and the roles they choose to play.

What is a standout piece in this collection?

The specific standout piece that was chosen for the movie, is our Aine Cuff. Aine is the goddess of love, growth and light. The name of this Celtic goddess means “bright” as she lights up the dark. Celebrations to this goddess were held on a midsummer’s night.

I’m guessing that this piece will be part of the storyline in some way but, like you, I will have to wait till spring when the movie is released to find out.

The piece is available online and in selected stores.

What was it like working for a high-budget Hollywood flick?

I actually did not find working with a Hollywood flick any different to working on a SA flick other than maybe a larger crew and more available resources due to a larger budget, but the level of expertise and quality of the SA film industry is on par to that of a Hollywood flick.

What is your overriding ideology and ethos underpinning your designs?

Ultimately, your mood can be changed based on the clothes you wear. Clothing directly affects our mood, attitude and confidence. When you’re feeling empowered, you want to put on something fierce. I therefore design around the feeling I think will be created when a piece is worn, and with Athena A — that means bold, unique, statement pieces that have a voice and a strong message.

What are your plans for the future?

I have no formal training in jewellery design but find this serves to my advantage at times as it helps me design “out the box” and experiment with unique materials such as the textured black material seen in pieces like the “Lakshmi cuff”. This material was developed using Rooibos tea leaves and charcoal. I would love to continue working to develop different unique, sustainable materials.

Sustainability is very important to the brand, and we are very conscious in making sure that all the materials we use are from waste and recycled materials. Our future plans include extending our men’s jewellery line as there seems to be a limited range out there for our trendy male counterparts. Shoes and bags will also be a natural extension of the brand in the future.

• See brandathenaa.co.za