Designer Despina Kotsis showcases her Greek-inspired streetwear line, Minx New York, during a pop-up event outside Omonia Cafe in Bay Ridge.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
Bay Ridge embraced Greek street fashion on Nov. 15, as Greek-American streetwear designer Despina Kotsis brought her urban wear collection to Third Avenue. The 24-year-old hosted a pop-up event titled “I’m Happier in Greece” outside Omonia Cafe, drawing Greeks and non-Greeks alike for an afternoon and evening of mingling and fun.
The Bay Ridge native told Brooklyn Paper that her passion for fashion began at an early age. In 2018, she launched her streetwear label, Minx New York, while simultaneously earning a master’s degree in childhood education to satisfy her parents’ wish for a fallback plan in case her design career didn’t work out.
The self-taught designer has embraced the motto “spread your wings” and uses the pigeon — New York City’s most iconic bird — as the symbol of her fashion line.
“I want people to realize in their lives [that] they all have their own set of wings, like the pigeon,” Kotsis said. “I want to really inspire people to follow their dreams, just like I am. I did this [fashion line] without a degree. And you don’t need a degree to follow your dreams to be successful.”
Minx New York blends Kotsis’s Greek heritage with Gotham streetwear. The collection includes hoodies, shirts, crewnecks, sweatpants, backpacks, and hats with a luxury edge and has been worn by celebrities such as actor Jake T. Austin.
“So that’s the route I’m following,” Kotsis said. “It’s stylish but definitely a New York vibe with a flare of Greece.”
Among her most popular designs is the “Dope Eye,” a playful twist on the traditional Greek evil eye, mati. The design replaces the usual blue hues with a rainbow of colors, while the eyelashes resemble the New York City skyline.
“[The evil eye] is really big in Greek culture. And this actually represents me because the lashes are the city skyline, New York City, and you get New York City in a Greek vibe,” Kotsis said. “So you know, Greek-American, Greek girl from New York—that’s how I got the Dope Eye.”
Other standout designs include “Greek Street,” which features a Spartan warrior, and slogans like “I’m Happier in Greece” and “AMERIKANÁKI,” the line’s latest addition.
Kotsis, whose streetwear has been featured in Teen Vogue and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” hosted the event to celebrate her fashion line and unite New York City’s Greek community. She also launched a project called “Greeks Supporting Greeks New York City,” where Greek businesses pledge to support each other and their community.
“We have all this love for our country. We need it for each other,” Kotsis said. “So that’s why I started [the pledge]. We’re here as a new movement, a new generation, and we’re just here to do big things and support each other.”
Kotsis’s mother, Maryann Kotsis, expressed pride in her daughter’s achievements.
“This is something that she started from a very young age, and the passion continues, even though she’s gotten her education from college,” Maryann Kotsis said. “But that passion lives on, and we’re here to support her and be by her side.”
Kotsis will host a second pop-up event on Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 22-78 35th St. in Astoria, Queens. For more information, visit her Instagram, @minxnewyork, or her website, minxnewyork.com.
