The history of Greek fashion is the focus of a new exhibition at London's Hellenic Centre, revealing the biggest collection of traditional Greek costumes ever seen outside the country.

Two years in the making, the Patterns of Magnificence exhibition, which opens on February 11, is a partnership with the Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation Museum, which boasts a staggering 45,000 items.

Most of the costumes date from the late 18th century to the middle of the 19th. The vast array of designs would have been used not only as everyday wear, but for weddings and formal dances.

This exhibition makes it clear that many cultures meld to form national dress; curator Ioanna Papantoniou points that something that we think of as distinctly Greek, “you can see the influence of everything from the Roman empire to the Muslims."

The Guardian: Greek chic: London exhibition unveils the beauty of Hellenic fashion