Sharing a passion for fashion at Gindi Fashion Week

The new generation of Israeli designers is pushing us into an era that is bolder, gutsier and full of surprises.

By ORI J. LENKINSKI
Gindi Fashion Week (photo credit: Courtesy)
Gindi Fashion Week
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Just as draught-stricken forests are fertile ground for brush fires, Tel Aviv is pliable territory for trends. Within moments of entering the scene, fads catch with dizzying speed, going from fringe quirks to consensus in no time at all. Examples of this are Fjallraven Kanken backpacks, which can be spotted on every other back on Shenkin Street, or more recently, embroidered mom jeans on every second teenage girl. This year’s Gindi Fashion Week was no exception to the rule.
Taking in any two of the dozen shows on the docket this year would leave a spectator certain of a shortlist of hot trends. The shows boasted tulle and other sheer fabrics, black and white color stories, velvet and peplum. And, as in the great fashion tradition of finishing the show with a bridal gown, nearly every show gave a nod to the raging industry that is Israeli weddings.
Overall, the collections shown, from Yosef to Maskit to younger labels like Eva Al Keneresh and Portray, were heavy on the evening wear and extra light on the readyto- wear. The highlight of Fashion Week came on the final day. Here, after two days of watching models teeter on too-high stilettos, the runway got a slice of the bold casualness that Tel Aviv is famous for. These young designers, perhaps untethered from the dos and donts of the traditionalist design community, took Fashion Week south to the hipper environs of Florentine and Jaffa. The clothes were suitable for the hot Israeli climate, the attitude matched the vibe of the country and the shoes (flats) were practical for pounding pavement.
Now in its third year, the National Lottery’s Upcoming Designers initiative accompanies young designers from idea to full realization with business and artistic mentorship. This year’s team included labels Holyland Civilians, Elisha Abergel, Tres, Sabina Musayev, Hili Ari and Tali Kushnir. These young designers came with accessible, innovative clothing embroidered with a message. Holyland Civilians wielded the tri-religious tensions of the region into powerful looks while Sabina Musayev presented the perfect collection for the elegant young Israeli woman.
There was play on gender, on volume and accessories and overall, a sense that the new generation of Israeli designers is listening to the needs of their clientele and pushing us into an era that is bolder, gutsier and full of surprises.
To view the shows from Gindi Fashion Week, visit www.fw.gindi.com.