One-stop shopping

Much like major retailers H&M and Zara, the idea behind Shlomi Ofir’s jewelry is to offer great design for reasonable prices.

By ORI J. LENKINSKI
Shlomi Ofir 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Shlomi Ofir 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
As the saying goes, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. While following this credo makes for a heavy workload, it is often the formula for success. This is the philosophy of budding designer, Shlomit Ofir (pictured above), who recently opened her own boutique in Tel Aviv. Ofir is a pert and pleasant young woman with tons of ideas about fashion and beauty. Her store is a product of an unlimited array of artistic ideas, from jewelry to clothing to shoes to wall hangings. When it comes to her label, Ofir is every woman.
When the time came to design her store and her website, Ofir made a decision not to bring in too much outside help. “I figured that I could make most of the choices myself.” she said, “Rather than bringing in a web designer, I created the site myself. And I styled the girls in my catalog. For the boutique, I picked the wall color and then I picked art to hang on those walls that I liked.”
The boutique is a picture of calm beauty, with white iron birdcages and chandeliers hanging high above racks of frilly dresses and charming trinkets. Though a bit on the opulent side, the store, like Ofir herself, feels approachable and unpretentious.
Ofir was originally trained as an industrial designer. However, early on in her studies, she was drawn to South America, where she studied shoe design. The fruits of this labor are available in a variety of styles in her store. From there, her eyes went on to jewelry, which, in her eyes, is the heart of her label, which began several years ago. Ofir sold her delicate, nature-inspired pieces in the accessories market and designer markets around Tel Aviv. Slowly, as interest grew, she expanded on her already successful designs, including belts and hair accessories into her repertory. Nowadays, her line includes bags, jewelry, shoes and clothing.
“After a long time of just doing jewelry, I started to think that maybe I wanted to start designing clothes,” she explained as she trod lightly through her Tiffany’s green boutique. “So I started making a few dresses and tops. From there, it developed into a full line, called Details. I draw on vintage style when I design,” she said as she brushed her hand against a polka-dotted frock from the latest collection. Keeping true to its name, the collection is incredibly well crafted and visibly made with love. “I always pay attention to the finishing touches, like buttons or zippers.”
Much like major retailers H&M and Zara, the idea behind Ofir’s jewelry is to offer great design for reasonable prices. “All of my stuff is coated in gold or silver, but the internal material, the part that no one sees, is less expensive. This way, I can sell my pieces for NIS 150. My clients can come in and buy themselves two or three pieces each season and not worry about the cost too much,” she said.
Ofir is not completely satisfied with her current line of jewelry, she explained. She lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned in as she revealed her plans for the near future. “I want to make engagement rings,” she confided. “I have a lot of regular clients who are about to get engaged. And more than a few times, their boyfriends have come here because they know that their ladies like my stuff. So I think I’d like to be able to offer themsomething in this department,” she went on. Naturally, Ofir will upgrade her material selection for this new venture.
In addition to plans for taking on the marital market, Ofir is carefully plotting the future of her company. “We are already looking around for new spaces to open new stores, maybe in Tel Aviv, maybe not,” she said with a slight grin.
No doubt that Ofir’s regulars, a gaggle of girls aged mainly in their twenties and thirties, will follow her to wherever she raises her flag. “My customers are very, very loyal. Most of them followed me to the Yemenite quarter, which is a bit off the beaten path. And the ones who wander into the store by chance always come back a second and third and fourth time,” she said. These women often buy whole outfits from Ofir, she explained. “You can definitely be dressed head to toe in my products; it happens to me all the time.”
Shlomit Ofir is located at Rehov Hillel Hazaken 10, near the intersection of Allenby and Tchernichowsky streets in Tel Aviv. To check out her designs, visit www.shlomitofir.com.