Empowering Women is the Gold Standard for Anastasia Liakopulos’ Jewelry Collection

Growing up in Panama City, Panama, Anastasia Liakopulos ’24 enjoyed weekly dinners where her family’s Greek and Latin cultures were reflected. The group would linger over dessert, Liakopulos says, “talking to our ‘tios’ and ‘tias’ (uncles and aunts) and ‘yayi’ and ‘papuli’ (grandmother and grandfather).” She and her cousins gathered around their papuli, captivated by animated tales of Greek myths — stories that would later serve as inspiration for Liakopulos and her sister Leticia to co-found their jewelry business, House of Clío. 

“Papuli always fascinated us with incredible stories of history and Greek mythology, and the powerful meaning behind the words,” Liakopulos says, referencing dramatic tales of mythical creatures, gods, and goddesses. “The name ‘Clío’ represents the muse of history of the nine muses, which are the nine daughters of Zeus. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric songs and myths that were related orally for centuries in ancient Greek culture. We want women to feel empowered with the meaning behind each piece when wearing our designs.”  

But papuli was not the only family influence for House of Clío. The company’s mission reflects the journey of Liakopulos’ two grandmothers, who challenged traditional Greek and Latin cultures that focused on “the man of the house.”  

“I saw a lot of women repress their dreams because of that pressure of just following along, but the story of both of my grandmothers will always be an inspiration to me,” Liakopulos says. “My Yayi Lety educated herself and attended college, then went on to become a teacher, all while working on the side and raising four children. It wasn’t easy for her to reach a point of respect as a woman, but she did it. My grandmother Anastasia always took care of us with the most loving heart ever; she showed her compassion and commitment to family through her amazing Greek food. I aspire to be just like them, with an empowering attitude and a noble and caring heart.” 

SISTER ACT 

It was during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that Liakopulos and her sister began their business journey “when our time and creativeness were endless.”   

“We were always creative and innovative, and we wanted to share our art with others,” Liakopulos says of early entrepreneurial brainstorm sessions. Designing jewelry made sense. “One thing in common with Greek and Latin cultures is the goldsmith trade. You cannot go to either Panama or Greece without buying a piece of jewelry.” 

Once the sisters decided on a vision for what they’d manufacture, Liakopulos says the process of setting up a business moved fast as they developed a business plan that included the company vision, mission, call to action and pieces of inspiration — including renderings of their ideas. Next was outreach to goldsmiths followed by the first prototypes that informed their launch collection, Near The Sun, based on the myth of Icarus and his wings made of wax.  

“It seems like a lot, and it was at the moment, but it is never over,” Liakopulos says. “There is always something to change, to erase, to modify, to create. The process takes creativity, an eye for detail and patience.” 

It also takes people skills, particularly “active listening, negotiation, influencing, positivity, communication, problem solving and adaptability that make the business appealing to customers,” Liakopulos says. 

It brings her back to a skills assessment she took in the Bentley course Interpersonal Relations in Management (MG240). “I had never stopped to focus on my strengths and how I could make them work in my business. I know now that I am great at active listening; I use it every time I am talking with a person inside my target market.” 

It ties directly into her Professional Sales major. “I am very interactive with people; I don’t usually go for the behind-the-scenes work. I like engaging with customers, guiding people, and sharing experiences, opinions and beliefs.” 

Since its launch, House of Clío has reached some impressive milestones, including coverage in magazines such as Vogue Mexico. In 2023, Liakopulos and her sister attended Panama Fashion Week and the Latin American Fashion Summit in the Dominican Republic. 

“My grandmothers’ perseverance and successes taught me to push my boundaries so I can become the inspiration of many other women in my surroundings,” Liakopulos says. “My sister and I have always been accompanied by supportive family and strong women who do everything and anything for their work, their children and their dreams. Now we have worked hard to make our dream of the brand come true, and we want each woman wearing their designs to feel empowered and fearless.”