No sweat

American-style sportswear tailored to the Israeli consumer – that’s what Ori Fisherman tries to do with her designs for Heartbreaker, taking inspiration from labels like Abercrombie and Fitch.

By ORI J. LENKINSKI
Heartbreaker (photo credit: Courtesy)
Heartbreaker
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Most of us are familiar with the following devastating scene: you open the dryer door, a rush of clean-smelling warm air floods your nostrils, you reach in, hands enveloped by hot fabric, pull out that beautiful new shirt you’ve washed only now for the first time, hold it open and realize that… it is now child sized. Shrinkage of new clothes is a much too common and dreaded consequence of doing laundry. After all, very few people intentionally spend money on onetime wardrobes.
Making sure that customers are spared this horror is a main goal of Ori Fisherman’s. Her line, Heartbreaker, which is sold in a flagship store on Rehov Dizengoff in Tel Aviv, is all about comfort and practicality. Each garment is washed in a regular washing machine before it hits the stylishly spare racks of Fisherman’s chic boutique. That way, there are no surprises waiting inside the washing machine once you take her clothes home. “There is no reason to deal with these clothes in any special way,” said Fisherman, “no dry cleaning.”
The clothes are average priced, certainly not cheap but within reason. And Fisherman is prepared to stand behind her guarantee that the clothes will not be destroyed the moment they hit the hamper.
Fisherman is a stunning woman with flowing red hair and the gait of a runway model. And though she would make a perfect face for any product, Fisherman has chosen to take a step back when it comes to marketing her designs. “I am not standing in front of my label,” she said. “I like to let Heartbreaker do the talking.”
Her foray into the fashion world began years ago as a teenager living in a kibbutz in the North. Fisherman was clearly moved as she spoke of the year her family relocated to a more urban environment.
“We didn’t have money to buy clothes. I had to sew to catch up with the other kids,” she said. The choice to make her hobby a profession came on a whim. “I wanted to be a dentist. So I applied to schools for dentistry and on the side, I also applied to Shenkar [College of Engineering and Design],” she went on. After her acceptance letter to Shenkar came, Fisherman left cavities and root canals behind and decided to sink her teeth into design.
Five years ago Fisherman founded Heartbreaker with her husband and partner. Since then, Heartbreaker has been sold in boutiques around Israel. In April 2010, the duo took a huge leap forward, opening the Heartbreaker store. The line’s emphasis is American-style sportswear tailored to the Israeli consumer. Taking inspiration from labels like Abercrombie and Fitch, Fisherman has composed a collection of essential items. During our meeting she was wearing two of these items: a light pink, cotton men’s shirt and her signature garment, elastic-waist chinos.
The most important thing about these clothes is that they fit well. “People want to buy clothes that sit well on the body,” said Fisherman. “I don’t do tight clothes. It’s important for women to feel flattered, to feel thin.”
At Heartbreaker, size is only a number.When browsing her store, Fisherman encourages customers to look outside of their size bracket. “You’re not buying a size,” she says, “you are buying a look.” This season, Fisherman has wandered into the world of dresses. Although her thing is casual, she recognizes the need for a few fancier touches here and there.
Alongside her dreamily soft cotton tees and flattering frocks are a few accessories (like that gold Casio watch everyone is sporting these days) and some perfumes from France. The overall affect is one of relaxed luxury. “My clothes don’t sweat effort,” declared Fisherman.
Heartbreaker is located at Rehov Dizengoff 203. Check out the clothes at www.heartbreaker.co.il