About Us
In the early 20th century, Nicholas Soutzoglou, an energetic young man belonging to the Greek community of Sparta in Asia Minor, set up a handmade carpet manufacturing plant in his hometown. By 1920, the company occupied 3.000 weavers, exporting handmade carpets to England. By the end of the Greek–Turkish war, and after spending 2 years in exile in Eastern Asia Minor, Nicholas arrived in Greece in 1922 as a refugee, part of the mandatory exchange of populations between the two countries.
Deprived of everything he had achieved and owned, he managed to start all over again by setting up a new carpet factory, employing weavers from the refugee settlement on the islands of Spetses and Hydra.
The second generation took over in 1974, when his son Kyriacos, after finishing his studies in England, returned to Athens and besides continuing production until 1983, he established a retail company in 1975 in the center of Athens.
The new company, Soutzoglou Carpets, expanded its spectrum, dealing with all kinds of handmade carpets and textiles, including antiques, and gradually establishing a prestigious name in the international carpet world. In 1990, the shop moved from 6, Valaoritou street to Kolonaki Square at 2, Skoufa street, where the current showroom still is today.
The third generation joined the family business in 2012, when, Kyriaco’s son, Nicholas, expanded the business by opening TEN CARPETS, dealing almost exclusively with modern handmade carpets and bespoke creations.
A few years later, Electra Soutzoglou, Kyriacos’s daughter, returned to Athens and took over the family business in 2020. Having worked in renowned international museums and art galleries and ending up heading the Frieze VIP department globally, Electra wanted to give prominence to the carpet as a form of art and thus, founded a new initiative within the family business, called Art Rug Projects. International and Greek contemporary artists are invited to explore the carpet as a new medium.
Their works are transformed into exceptional handmade rugs and tapestries as original works of art, either as unique pieces or very limited editions. Art Rug Projects by Soutzoglou is the culmination of the family’s 120 years of experience in the trade and manufacturing of handmade carpets that stand out for their high quality and aesthetic value.
In the long history of the Soutzoglou family, each generation brought new life to the carpet and textile business. Consequently, the 3rd generation, faithful to the family tradition, gazes the future with respect for the past but with a new look at carpets through the eyes of experience.
OUR PROJECTS
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