meet six rings, a cultural-retail space by onassis foundation in the heart of athens

meet six rings, a cultural-retail space by onassis foundation in the heart of athens

Onassis Foundation transforms historic Athens arcade

 

The Onassis Foundation is launching Six Rings, a fashion and culture destination at 99 Patission Boulevard in Athens, Greece, in December 2026. Developed under the artistic direction of Afroditi Panagiotakou, the Foundation’s Artistic Director, and Stavros Karelis, Head of Fashion, the project takes the form of a two-story house bringing together international fashion brands, emerging Greek designers, contemporary art, and independent local businesses.

 

Six Rings is part of the Foundation’s ongoing renovation of Matala Arcade, a historic complex in central Athens. Its visual identity comes from British artist Tim Etchells, who has designed a neon facade and logo inspired by 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,’ notes Afroditi Panagiotakou.

    Tim Etchells’ colorful neon signage and Six Rings logo illuminate the façade of Matala Arcade in Athens
Six Rings facade by Tim Etchells, rendering

 

 

six rings connects fashion, art and culture

 

The Six Rings retail selection includes the first Athens shop-in-shop by Yohji Yamamoto, alongside an adidas space featuring Y-3 and collaborations with designers including Grace Wales Bonner, Raf Simons, Rick Owens, and Simone Rocha. Other labels include Our Legacy, Martine Rose, Matières Fécales, Carhartt WIP, and Stüssy, while Greek brands IT’S A SHIRT and Yiorgos Eleftheriades contribute to the program. The space will also host Hyper Hypo bookshop and Kopria flower shop, bringing independent Athenian businesses into the mix.

 

Beyond retail, Six Rings will host artworks from the Onassis Collection, artist commissions, workshops, and mentoring initiatives. A program titled DIALOGUES, curated by Yiorgos Eleftheriades, will showcase emerging Greek designers, while a collaboration with Central Saint Martins will introduce a fashion residency in Athens through the Onassis AiR program from 2027.

 

The wider Matala Arcade development will also include an all-day food and drink concept by the Wine is Fine team and soundscapes by STEGI.RADIO. 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.

    Onassis Foundation Artistic Director Afroditi Panagiotakou and Head of Fashion Stavros Karelis stand on scaffolding inside Matala Arcade during its renovation
Afroditi Panagiotakou and Stavros Karelis inside Matala Arcade during its renovation | image by Spiros Poros

project info:

 

name: Six Rings

artistic direction: Afroditi Panagiotakou, Onassis Foundation | @onassis.stegi
visual identity and facade: Tim Etchells 
interior architecture and scenography: Loukas Bakas

location: 99 Patission Boulevard, Matala Arcade, Athens, Greece
opening: December 2026

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