Israeli fashion

File:Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - Tami Ben Ami in a Gottex Bathing Suit.jpg

Israeli model Tami Ben Ami modelling a Gottex swimsuit

Israeli fashion refers to fashion design and modeling in Israel.

Israel has become an international center of fashion and design. Tel Aviv has been called the “next hot destination” for fashion. Israeli designers, such as swimwear company Gottex, show their collections at leading fashion shows, including New York’s Bryant Park fashion show. In 2011, Tel Aviv hosted its first Fashion Week since the 1980s, with Italian designer Roberto Cavalli as a guest of honor.

History

The ATA textile factory was founded in Kfar Ata in 1934 by Erich Moller, a Jewish industrialist from Czechoslovakia. ATA specialized in work clothes and uniforms, reflecting the Zionist and socialist ideology of the time. Factory production spanned every aspect of garment-making, from thread manufacture to sewing and packaging. The name of the factory was invented by Hebrew novelist S.Y. Agnon. ATA is an acronym for the Hebrew words "Arigei Totzeret Artzeinu" - "fabrics manufactured in our land." In the 1960s, Israeli fashion designer Lola Beer Ebner designed a line of fashionable dresses in bright colors for ATA at the request of Moller's widow.

In the early years of the state, Ruth Dayan, wife of Moshe Dayan, founded Maskit, a fashion and decorative arts house that helped to create jobs for new immigrants while preserving the Jewish ethnic crafts of various communities living in Israel. In 1955, Dayan met fashion designer Finy Leitersdorf, who designed clothes and accessories for Maskit for 15 years. The two collaborated on a joint exhibit of Maskit designs at the Dizengoff Museum (today the Tel Aviv Museum). Maskit produced textiles, clothing, objets d’art and jewelry. Today, the Maskit legacy lives on. A two-year journey of research has led the team through the captivating Israeli landscapes to reconnect with Maskit's original artists and roots. At the age of 98, Ruth is working with designer Sharon Tal to revitalize the brand and continue its legacy. The first collection, entitled Hommage 2014, incorporated Maskit's 40 years of activity while bringing it into 2014. The line includes updated versions of Maskit's iconic items, such as the desert coat, the egg coat, and the toga. The collection draws on Maskit's traditional designs while using new materials and the highest quality of fabrics. The Maskit Showroom in Tel Aviv is an impressive tourist attraction, housing collector vintage pieces along with the current collections. Maskit stores can also be found in the Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv and in beautiful Old Jaffa.

In 1956, Lea Gottlieb founded Gottex, a high-fashion beachwear and swimwear company that became a leading exporter of designer bathing suits.

Israeli fashion has been worn by some of the world's most famous women, among them Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Cutting edge designers

From Tel-Aviv all the way to the streets of New York, Israeli designers have managed to export their fashion to the utmost end of the fashion world. Starting their paths from a young age Israeli designers try and prosper by branching out to the best of their abilities to an international market rather than a domestic one. Even though Israel's domestic fashion market can be iconic - an illustration of so is the most recent and new Tel-Aviv Fashion Week- the size of the population limits the ability to grow, therefore as every designer wishes to broaden their horizons they aim for the bigger industries. The designers and their clothes speak for themselves as they are world renowned; some examples of such praised and glorious people of the nation are as following

Alon Livne

With a passion for fashion from the age of 17 Alon Livne set out to be one of the greatest Israeli designers. He trained at both Alexander McQueen in London and Roberto Cavalli in, Florence, adding to his prestige. At the age of 24 Livne won first place in the Israeli 'project Runway", celebrated by the media Livne became big nationwide. His works are composed of both a sculptural element and couture details infused with florescent colours that are eye catching and breathtaking. In February 2013, Livne was invited to partake in the Mercedes-Benz New- York fashion week in which he presented his fall winter collection. It was very crowd pleasing as they admired how beautifully constructed and chic all his clothes are. After this exhibition his fashion designs were bought by dozens of fashion figures, such as Lia Michel, Nina Garcia and the one and only Naomi Campbel. Moreover in May of that following year Beyonce commissioned Livne to design her gowns for the "Miss Carter Show" in which she performed all around the world further exposing his designs. Alon does not manage to cease a single day, as he continuously works hard to prove the ability of Israeli designers.

Danit Peleg

Danit's interest in fashion began from her curiosity about the influence of technology in the fashion world. Growing up in an era where everything is technology oriented it is essential to see how it can aid in such a grand industry such as fashion. Following her interest Danit began studying fashion design at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, with the task of creating a final project her last year she decided to put to play her belief that "technology will help democratize fashion and give designers more independence in the creation process" and center her project around using 3D printers in order to create her designs.For her intricate designs Danit used FilaFlex filament which was inspired from Andreas Bastian's Mesostructured Cellular Materials printed out in soft material to create her textile designs. She printed out her collection with Witbox home printers, and each outfit took about 400 hours to print. After graduating in 2015 with the honor of making it to every headline in the media due to her innovation Danit continues with her passion to correlate between technology and fashion by advising designers on new technologies for their designs and ways they can progress through technology.

Tel-Aviv: An Aspiring Fashion Hub

Israel only recently has started to play in the big leagues of fashion but even with only recent success Tel-Aviv's designers managed to rise quickly; Hot & Haute (as they are referenced in Haaretz news paper) as Israeli designs walk down the runways at the New York fashion week. Strolling down Tel-Aviv's streets you will engage with individuals who have created their own looks, jewellery makers selling at every corner and simply a feeling of walking through a swarm of aspiriation and inspiration with compassion and passion for fashion. The geographical location of Israel allows for it to intake several different styles and combine them to make a unique sense of style. Varying from western styles to eastern and everything in between, Israelis will take advantage of being able to have a taste of so many different cultures and have created their own chic. Moreover the advanced technological permutation enhances the fashion world by the creation of the strong correlation between the two. Tel Aviv pertains the 11th best fashion university - Shenkar College of Engineering and Design- ranked world wide from which many designers have emerged from. Technology is growing, the people are growing, ideas are growing, fashion is growing.

See also

• Fashion Forward
• Culture of Israel
• Shenkar College of Engineering and Design
• Project Runway Israel
• Biblical clothing

External links

• The most influential people in Israeli fashion, Haaretz
• Meet your alter-ego and bedeck it in jewels, Haaretz
• ATA exhibit, Eretz Israel Museum