Georgia’s national culture today not only complements modern brands but also forms their unique selling proposition on the international market, distinguishing them from competitors.
CHRONOS
Not just a motif, but a creative DNA born from deep admiration for the country’s centuries-old artistic heritage — this is how CHRONOS founder Maka Shavgulidze interprets Georgian heritage.
“We do not copy ancient jewelry — we reinterpret it. We take the artistic spirit of different epochs and reimagine it through a modern lens — combining classical refinement with contemporary elegance.”
According to Maka Shavgulidze, before founding the brand, she visited museums across Georgia, studying ancient jewelry found on this land. These ancient creations laid the foundation for the brand’s concept.
Each CHRONOS piece comes with a bilingual (Georgian-English) annotation describing the historical source of inspiration, the epoch, and the artistic value of the artifact. This approach transforms every piece of jewelry into “a story — a bridge between the past and the present,” imbuing the object with meaning.
Shavgulidze emphasizes that this inspiration arose “organically — from emotional and artistic admiration rather than strategic calculation.”
However, over time, it became clear that this authenticity is a strong brand advantage.
Giorgi Wazowski
Multidisciplinary designer Giorgi Wazowski uses heritage as an emotional landscape for creating ornaments atop it that align with contemporary trends. Working in accessories and installations, Wazowski formulates his philosophy as “Promoting Georgia through art, craft, and slow media.”
His creative path was shaped under the influence of the «collective and personal trauma» of a post-Soviet country. According to Wazowski:
“The melancholic stories I’ve heard growing up pushed me to translate those memories into form.”
“Cultural heritage is not a marketing decision; it is an emotional landscape formed through years of creating, observing, and evolving across different mediums. It is the most authentic part of my practice.”
Photo: Giorgi Wazowski
Giorgi Wazowski works with contrasts, using Georgian male models in his campaigns, often styled in soft, “feminine” aesthetics. This approach challenges traditional notions of masculinity and reflects the complexity and fluidity that he believes exists in every person. His inspiration is drawn from history, personal experience, mountains, the sea, and the daily lives of Georgian men. He sees Georgia as “a small nation with an ancient soul — far deeper than we can imagine.”
The Georgian Offer on the International Stage
The experience of both brands — CHRONOS, which recreates the spirit of artifacts, and Giorgi Wazowski, who develops emotional narratives — confirms that Georgia’s cultural heritage has become a powerful factor in international positioning.
Photo: Giorgi Wazowski
For CHRONOS, which is successfully growing in the luxury niche, Maka Shavgulidze notes:
“Many are intrigued by the concept of Georgian jewelry — a relatively unexplored niche in global design.”
International clients are drawn to the combination of authenticity, luxury, and emotional storytelling. In her opinion, in a modern world where uniqueness is a key value, “Georgia’s history offers an extraordinary creative resource.”
Photo: Giorgi Wazowski
Giorgi Wazowski confirms a similar trend: he has many foreign clients — in China, New York, Japan, England, and France — who highly value Georgian craftsmanship and authenticity.
The designer notes that, since the Georgian designers are less known than those from major fashion capitals, they work with exceptional dedication and insist on quality at every stage:
“My experiences in Paris proved to me that my work stands among the strongest and most refined — often even surpassing that of my competitors. Our precision and commitment to representing our country with integrity are our greatest competitive advantages.”