Our Story
Athens-born designer Maria Glezelli has a keen eye and passion for painting and crafting, getting inspiration from the unravelling panorama of the Athenian history where she grew up.
Her creative journey and exploration leads her to acquire a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Art Sciences at the University of Fine Arts in Ioannina, Greece, where she consolidates her values and set the basis for her cultural growth.
Fuelling her love for ancestral craftsmanship, Maria continues her studies specialising in jewellery design and metalsmithing, developing her unique artist’s identity. She uses wire and traditional metalworking techniques to construct her designs. Endless hours of knitting, result in a vast portfolio that bridges fine art and jewellery design.
Soon, her projects catch public attention and the brand Algo Elegante is born. Drawing inspiration from mythology and the natural cosmos, she designs her first collections and undertakes several bespoke commissions. She travels as far as Santorini in the Aegean and as wide as Los Angeles, California to showcase her work and catch up with the latest trends in luxury design. In Los Angeles, she participates in the prestigious international exhibition “Wearable Expressions” at the Palos Verdes Art Center where she develops a collection of wearable pieces and ensembles influenced by the 19th century, reviving the Victorian era.
Meanwhile, she organises her first solo jewellery installation in the island of Hydra under the charm of the cosmopolitan greek resort. This experience nurtures her curiosity towards new forms of expressions and Maria feels that the time has come for a change.
She moves to London and starts working at Tiffany’s, a renowned company in jewellery design, specialised in gemstones and manufacturing. On the parallel, she gains valuable work experience in environments as diverse as London Fashion Week, the Selfridges and local designer fairs in east London. A habitué of Victoria & Albert Museum and Tate Gallery, as well as a frequent traveller to Tuscany, Italy, Maria never stops refreshing her points of reference on visual culture.
After honing her skills and deepening her knowledge of design, gemmology and manufacturing, Maria takes a leap and decides to focus entirely on her eponymous brand from her workshop in West London, where she crafts all of her pieces from design to execution.
Committed to preserving tradition, Maria combines age-old techniques with innovative designs. Each piece of jewellery is crafted entirely by hand with precision, artistry and distinctive craftsmanship without the use of any machinery.
