Meet the maker

Hello!

I’m Eleanna Kotsikou. I was born, raised, and still live in Athens, Greece, while my roots lie in two beautiful places: the island of Serifos and the mountain region of Pelion. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have lived in France, Italy, the Netherlands, England, and on a Greek island—experiences that have shaped the way I see the world and approach creativity.

I studied Architecture at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Urbanism at TU Delft in the Netherlands. For several years, I worked as an architect in both Greek and international studios, as well as independently.

I’ve always loved design in every scale—from designing cities to shaping the expression of a tiny face. At some point, though, I felt the need to create something more personal. Something I could dream up, design, and bring to life with my own hands.

That’s how Sockool was born.

Every little creature is made entirely by me, from beginning to end. I carefully choose socks with cool patterns and colours, then design, sew, stuff, and embroider every tiny detail by hand. My favorite part is always creating the face. That’s the moment each creature reveals its own personality. Some are grumpy, some are shy, some are cheerful, and some are delightfully quirky. But every single one is unique.

Sockool wouldn’t exist without the people around me. My family and friends are always there—whether it’s helping me stuff creatures when a big order comes in, setting up an exhibition, or simply keeping me company while I sew. Sockool may be my creation, but it carries a little of their love too.

I deeply believe in the joy of making and in sharing what we know. That’s why I’ll be sharing ideas, tutorials, and small creative projects in Stories from the Studio, the Sockool blog. If you enjoy making things too, I hope you’ll find a little inspiration there.

I’ve also written a book about making polymer clay jewelry, and I continue to design jewelry through my personal brand, zdrop, because to me, creativity should never be limited to a single material.

I’m so happy we met.
Eleanna

P.S. At Sockool, we don’t just make plush toys. We bring little creatures to life—creatures that make the world a little warmer and are waiting to find a place to call home.

Explore the collections