In the early 1910s Florentini Kaloutsi, a young and talented painter with studies in London, overwhelmed by the archaeological findings at Knossos, Crete, decided to transfer to the loom the designs of the Minoan frescoes. Her aim was to revive the already forgotten Cretan weaving art.
The enthusiastic public response to her work encouraged F.K to enrich the variety of her patterns with folk art designs as well as with her own creations. Very soon she expanded her workshop to employ 150 weavers, thus setting up in 1925 one of the earliest home handicraft industies in Greece, named “DOUBLE AXE”. Kaloutsi’s textiles soon became known all over Greece, in Europe and in USA winning awards in trade competitions.
F.K applied her designs also on pieces of furniture: she designed chests, chairs, tables, bookcases, shelves and decorated them with minoan patterns.
Under her inspired guidance “DOUBLE AXE” flourished during the years before and after the 2nd WW and in the course of time added handmade jewelry and ceramic artifacts to its collections.
“DOUBLE AXE”, run today by the second generation of F.Ks family, displays a vast variety of jewelry and artifacts true to her vision and artistic legacy.
