Fantastic Designs by Fini Leitersdorf from "Israel Fashion Art" album-book on Exhibit.

A Fini Leitersdorf creation inspired by Yohanan Simon's painting from Nurit Bat-Yaar's book "Israel Fashion Art". Photo: Ben Lam

Hi, I have just returned from the opening of a very special exhibit which will be open to the public for one week beginning this Sunday. It's an exhibit of Israel's most inspiring designer "Maskit"' Fini Leitersdorf held at Vila D in Neve Tsedek by her grandaughter Dushi Leitersdorf.
This exhibit is very special to me on several counts. Firstly, because of the uniquness of Fini's timeless artistic creations most of which can be worn today inspite of the fact that they were created in the 60s and the 70s.
Secondly, because of the extremely important part Fini played in the creation and the consolidation of the identity of Israel's style's which was the triger for my writing my book. She did it by applying the arts and crafts of the Hebrew tribes gathered together from over 100 diasporas to western timeless bohemian lines in a very remarkable and admirable way.


The  third reason I enjoyed  the exhibit so much - is that it enables people to see live quite a number of the designs depicted in the album-book "Israel Fashion Art"  "שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל" photos. The one seen here, for example,  that was inspired by a painting of Yohanan Simon - opens the chapter Fashion & Art - A Love Story. Others, enrich the chapters about the use of coins, of seashells, of bejeweled gowns, of hoods, of textiles etc.


Finally, the exhibit took me back to my youth when Fini Leitersdorf who saw me (when at my dad's request I delivered to her studio some olive wood buttons), insisted I become her model. Although at the time I refused, I eventually did participate in a modeling course she opened-up for Maskit. And it was my modeling career (along with a fashion illustration courses I took) which opened for me the door to the world fashion journalism.  So, in addition to my great admiration of Fini I feel that she provided me with the jumping board to my career.
Another fine memory of Fini I have relates to my artistic creativity. She once invited me to the opening of a painting exhibit of her husband artist Yohanan Simon. I showed up in a dress I designed myself in the spirit of the Maskit's multi-cultural meets pure western lines-  concept. Many of the guests assumed it was Fini's latest creation. Fini, Larger than life as she was, came over to me, shared with me that info and told me "Nurit - you are a fashion personality!" This was the greatest compliment one could get from such a gifted designer, and I felt that it definitely gave me the stamp of approval into the artistic magical realm of fashion.

"Israel Fashion Art" Book by Nurit Bat-Yaar shows that "Israeli Fashion is Authentic & Kicking".

One of the Castro design images (1997) exclusive to the album-book "Israel Fashion Art". Photo: Isri Halpern
Styling: Nurit Bat-Yaar. model: Amit Machtinger.

Hi, Book Week is over by now. Nevertheless, a few days ago I came a cross a great recommendation about my book
"שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל"
 in the Castro Fashion magazine in an article called Inspiring Books in honor of Book Week:  "The book of the fashion researcher and journalist Nurit Bat-Yaar is a milestone in the country's fashion literature. It's a lavish historic album that is fun to leaf through and discover cherished clothes...which remind us that we have an authentic, kicking Israeli fashion.
"ספרה של העיתונאית וחוקרת האופנה נורית בת יער הוא אבן דרך בספרות האופנה בארץ, והוא אלבום מהודר של צילומי אופנה מההיסטוריה הלא ארוכה של האופנה בישראל. נחמד לדפדף בספר ולגלות פרסומות, בגדים אהובים מהאייטיז ותמונות ארכיון שיזכירו לכולם שגם כאן יש אופנה ישראלית בועטת ואותנטית".

שבוע הספר האופנתי
http://www.castromagazine.co.il/
ספרי עיצוב, ספרי צילום, ספרי אופנה וכל מה שנותן לנו השראה לכבוד שבוע הספר

Other, highly appreciated responses the book earned came my way via Facebook. Here are some of them. This is the 13th  bunch of responses to the book I'm uploading. The previous ones were posted on Feb, 20, 2010, on Aug, 3, 2010, on Aug, 13, 2010, on Sept. 16, 2010, on Oct. 6, 2010, on Oct.23, 2010, on Nov. 26, 2010 ,on Dec. 16, 2010, on Jan.2, 2011, on March 16, 2011, on May 20, 2011 and on June 27, 2011 posts.

Responses from the Academy were posted on (May 3, 2010 ), Museum Curators (July 18, 2010), and the Press (June 16, 2010) .
Shimon Peres, Israel's President's so highly appreciated, heart-warming response was posted on Oct. 15, 2010.

הדר מרום Hadar Marom, FB. May 10, 2011 חגיגה לעיניים. הצטרף לא מכבר לרשימת המתנות שלי לעצמי.

נעמי נוריאל Naomi Nuriel, FB. May 11, 2011
אהבתי את הספר עוד כשראיתי אותו בסטימצקי לפני פחות משנה, אז קניתי אותו.

שרון פייביש Sharon Faibish, fashion designer. May 12, 2011
קראתי את הספר הנהדר. כל הכבוד ו... תודה על האיזכור. שרון. לכבוד הוא לי להיות מוזכר בספר.

אורית פרייליך Orit Freilich, Shenkar prof. May 16, 2011 ספרך מרהיב ביופיו

דנה וקסלר-ספקטור May 16, 2011 Dana Wexler-Spector, former Beauty Queen.
מרשים ביותר..קיבלתי את הספר כמתנה לפני כשנה:-))

ליאלי האווה Lialy Hawa. FB. May 18, 2011
שלום
היום קניתי את הספר שלך
רציתי להגיד לך שאני נהנית מכל מילה שכתבת בספר
במיוחד הרקמות עשו לי את היום המון תודה
בכבוד רב
ליאלי

תמי גוטמן-משיח Tami Gutman-Mashiah, Prof. @ Wizo Haifa Academy
נורית בת יער היקרה, אשמח אם תפרגני גם לי ותציגי את הדגם שלי של הצפרדעים מיערות הגשם ,מתוך ספרך המדהים. ממליצה בחום לכולם לקרוא ולצפות בו,ספר חובה לכל ישראלי ולא רק לחובבי האופנה.

שרון דובז'ינסקי Sharon Dobjinsky, "At" journalist , May 26, 2011
נורית היקרה ביותר!
גם הספר וגם קטלוג התערוכה "הבזקי זוהר" הם מעבר לנהדרים!

אורלי רוזן Orli Rosen, Designer. FB. May 27, 2011
Hi Nurit,
I am very much familiar with your book, and I think your work of research is quite exquisite.
I myself have been very occupied by Israeli fashion through out the decades, to realize that we have a very unique sense of style that is able to modify itself.
Your book is essentialy educating for generations to come, and to hopefully encourage more books to be written about Israeli fashion.
Kind regards,
Orli.

דפנה מאור בלסקי Dafna Maor Belsky. FB. May 30,2011
היי נורית,
יש לי את הספר בבית והוא מדהים, ממש עבודת קודש עשית. מצאתי בו דברים מרתקים, במיוחד לאור תחום העיסוק שלי... נהנתי מאוד לקרוא אותו. שאפו!‬

Bar Refaeli in "Israel's Fashion Art" album-book's FB's Fan Club Page which counts now 2,000 FANS.

Bar Refaeli in a 2004 Eyal Nevo image exclusive to the album-book "Israel Fashion Art" by Nurit Bat-Yaar.

Hi, "Israel Fashion Art 1948-2008" album-book's Facebook Fan Club reached 2,000 fans!!! Thank you so much dear book fans!!! On this happy occasion I would like to share with you this very special image of a very special model: international fashion photography model BAR REFAELI, former love of film star Leonardo Dicaprio and one of the most perfect specimens of world beauty.

This is one of several full-page photos of Bar featured in the album-book. This specific one opens the chapter "Talking Clothes" which is about T shirts and other fashion pieces featuring written-up slogans and messages and photos that are printed on them. Believing that slogans such as :"A woman without a man is like a fish without bicycles" (by Feminist Gloria Stenheim), "Make Love Not War", "Black is Beautiful" etc., provide sort of a quick course about free world culture  - I decided to devote a special chapter to this concept.

As I did in other chapters here too I traced the sources of the custom to attach words to clothes to the Bible's High Priest, widening the discussion to its appearance in art works such as Braque and Picasso's collages and to present day's Jenifer Bar-Lev's fabric works, etc.

To visit FaceBook Book's Fan Club Page please go to link:

http://pitsi.com/7xt

By the way, do you have any idea what does the white swan pillow is doing in the picture? It has nothing to do with the film "White Swan, Black Swan". Nor with the Sawn Lake ballet. It's there as a reminder that Bar's nick-name is Bar-Boor, the Hebrew word for swan! 



"Israel Fashion Art" Album-Book Hearts Mark Zuckerberg

A 1989 creation of Dana Ziv-Carmi of Wizo-Canada-Haifa Academy, exclusive to "Israel Fashion Art" album-book by Nurit Bat-Yaar. Photo: Isri Halpern. Styling: Nurit Bat-Yaar. 

Hi, naturally when my album-book "Israel Fashion Art - 1948-2008" came out after the seven or so years that I had worked on it, I hoped people would appreciate the blood and sweat I poured into it or should I say the embroidery silk threads, the golden coins, the cultural, historical and artistic glimpses, as well as the creative fantasy I had woven into it. However, I never realized that I would get that many loving responses and I think that if it weren't for FACEBOOK much of all this love wouldn't have reached me.

So, firstly I would like to thank FACEBOOK and its creator MARK ZUCKERBERG for making it possible.

Thanks from the depth of my heart also to all the book's fans who took the time to share with me their feelings and impressions of the book. Your opinions are very dear and important to me.

Thanks to designer Dani Kalmar who wrote: "Finally a book which is both fascinating and enlightening." To author and former journalist-editor Liora Einy who wrote: "Nurit's book is superb". To renowned architect Ilan Pivko who wrote: "The historical Israeli fashion looks fantastic in your book. You must have thrown light on timeless creations which is why they still look relevant and up to date." And thank you to all the other very dear readers who are sharing here with me their enthusiasm from
"שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל".

This is the 12th bunch of responses to the book I'm uploading. The previous ones were posted on Feb, 20, 2010, on Aug, 3, 2010, on Aug, 13, 2010, on Sept. 16, 2010, on Oct. 6, 2010, on Oct.23, 2010, on Nov. 26, 2010 , and on Dec. 16, 2010Jan.2, 2011, on March 16, 2011 and on May 20, 2011 posts.


Responses from the Academy were posted on (May 3, 2010 ), Museum Curators (July 18, 2010), and the Press (June 16, 2010) .

Shimon Peres, Israel's President's so highly appreciated, heart-warming response was posted on Oct. 15, 2010.

Vered Vizovitch Kaponi, Bags Designer. March 16,2011                ורד ויזוביץ קפוני
• התמונות מאד יפות. זה ספר שיהיה מונח אצלי בחנות!


Dotan Sofer, musician.FB. March 16, 2011 דותן  סופר                                                                                                   נורית! אמרתי לך כבר שלדעתי ספרך

יכול וצריך לקבל הכרה בינלאומית בגלל העושר שלו בתחומו! .

מיכל פלדמן
Michal Feldman, Facebook. March 17, 2011
ואחרי שהצצתי בספר ובתמונות.... ואווו....כי כל מילה אחרת תגמד את העוצמה והיצירתיות. נדירה ומרגשת!

ועוד ממיכל:
Michal Feldman 18 מרץ 2011‏ בשעה 04:59‏
נורית יקירה...
אתחיל עם הספר המרשים ביופיו, בתוכנו ובתכניו. אכן ניכרת עבודה רבה והשקעה מאומצת שהובילו לתוצאה מרשימה

שולה שפיגל Shula Spiegel, TV docu film producer, March22, 2011
נורית... הספר מרתק

דני קלמר Dani Kalmar, Fashion designer. March 27, 2011
הספר מרשים ביותר.סוף סוף ספר גם מקסים עיצובית וגם משכיל.

שמוליק בכר נייס Shmulik Bechar Nice, Producer. April 2,2011
ראיתי את הספר ממש מוצלח ומעניין טרם התעמקתי בו לקריאה מלאה אבל שאפו על העבודה המורכבת של איסוף החומרים...

ליאורה עיני , former editor of Signon, Maariv.April3,2011 Liora Eini
ספרה של נורית בת יער ספר מעולה - תוכן ועיצוב - ניכרים השקעה רבה ואהבה רבה. אנא מיסרו לנורית שלאחר דפדוף ראשון אקרא כל פרק בעיון ובהנאה

מיטל ארז Facebook. April 5, 2011 ,Meytal erez
הצטרפתי למועדון אוהדי הספר, אין מילים מהמםםםםם.... כל מה שקשור לאופנה, סטייל, ועוד.. אני פה...

במבי קטן Bambi Katan. FB. April 8, 2011
קניתי ונהנית מאוד. תודה.

מיכל ענבר Michal Inbar. FB. April 10, 2011
קיבלתי במתנה את הספר האדיר (תרתי משמע) שלך ואני הולכת לישון איתו כל לילה גומעת ממנו בצמא! איזה כייף לי... תודה רבה נורית על הספר :-)"


יעל גלעד Yael Gilad, FB. April 13, 2011
ראיתי אותו בלימודים וממש אהבתי תודה

יפית ריקלין Yafit Riklin, Accessory designer. April 14, 2011
הי נורית יקרה
את הספר המקסים רכשתי כבר מזמן בתערוכת אות העיצוב – עשית עבודה מדהימה ואני נהנית מהספר
ראיתי את האזכורים עלי בספר, זה הרגעים הקטנים האלו שפתאום אני מבינה את העשייה ושהיא חלק ממשהו תרבותי שנעשה פה בארצנו המיוחדת
חג פסח שמח לך

Yaffa grebenau, former model & exporter April 14, 2011
יפה גרבנאו קניתי לאורלי דנקנר את הספר גם לרונה הבת שלומדת בעקבות ליקוש בשנקר שנה א... הן מאד נהנות מהספר..

איילת קרבצקי Ayelet Kravetzky. FB. April 15, 2011
ספר מדהים אני אקנה לי אותו מתנה לחג

ליסה מרז Lisa Mraz. FB. April 18, 2011
אני מאוד מעריכה אותך ומתה על הספר שכרון עיצובים! חג שמח אישה יקרה!

אילן פיבקו Ilan Pivko, Architect. April 19, 2011
הי נורית ראיתי אתמול את ספרך שכרון עיצובים והתפעלתי מאד. האפנה הישראלית לדורותיה נראית נפלא בספרך. כנראה שידעת להאיר את אותן יצירות שישרדו ולכן נראה הספר כה עכשווי
ובכלל "גוף העבודה " שלך על פני כל השנים הללו מרשים ביותר

Zvi Elhyani, Israel Architecture Archive Iaa April 25, 2011 צבי אלחייני, ארכיון האדריכלות הישראלי .
נורית שלום, מאוד אוהב את ספרך שיצא לא מכבר, גוף עבודה מצוין כינסת שם, צבי אלחייני ארכיון אדריכלות ישראל

נורית זוארי , FB. May 10,2011 Nurit Zoari
תמונות מדהימות. חברתי רוצה לרכוש אותו עבורי כמתנה... עיינתי בספרך מאוד נהניתי תמונות מרהיבות ממש רמה.

נטע לבנה Neta Livne, FB. May 10, 2011
ספר מקסים...

"Israel Fashion Art" FB's Fan Club reached 1,900 Fans

A Menahem Oz photo exclusive to "Israel Fashion Art"
"שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל"
album-book of an Alon Siman-Tov creation. Styling: Nurit Bat-Yaar.

Hi, Today I would like to share with you the happy event regarding the book's Facebook Fan Cub which marks over 1900 fans. Thanks so much dear

"Israel Fashion Art" fans.

During my many years as "Yedioth Ahronoth" fashion editor I was always eager to discover new talents, young designers uninhibited by conventions and marketing limitations. Usually, I would find such free spirits in the fashion academies. I would then initiate stylised editorials which provided the imaginative students a springboard to fame and success and my newspaper readers an exciting aesthetic experience. Thus I fully iidentified with Diana Vreeland's motto: My purpose is to show my fashion readers things they don't even know they want.

One of the unique creations I discovered at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design was the above hat by Alon Siman-Tov. Alon designed it within a hat design course taught by creative hat-designer Gil Becher his inspiration being the film "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids". His was one of about five-seven hats I selected for the editorial, and the only one which ended up in the album-book.

Like many of the students whose unique and exciting designs were included in the book - after his graduation Alon became a very successful designer who left his mark on the international arena. Among the Fashion Houses he designed for were Enrico Coveri, Roberto Cavali and Levi's accessories.

Israel Fashion Art Album-Book Review in Spanish

Hi, book reviews, interviews and articles about "Israel Fashion Art" album-book
"שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל" were published up to now in Hebrew, English, Russian, and Swiss-German. Today I am posting the latest review which was published in Spanish.

Unfortunately, I don't read Spanish so I am unable to provide you guys with some quotes from the article.  However, my former colleague fashion editor Chikita Levov who wrote it told me she couldn't find words to express the very special feelings the album-book aroused in her.

So, in case some of my readers do read Spanish here it is.
 As far as the images from "Israel Fashion Art" album-book go, the article features a portrait of mine by Ron Kedmi, a Gottex photo of beachwear designs (by Ben Lam), and a Maskit, Fini Leitersdorf embroidered caftan (by Ben Lam),  in the first page.

In the second page a photo of a golden coins tunic by Silvia Vered (Versano) (by Ido Lavie), the book's cover picture of a Shenkar's Jacob Harpaz gown (by Miri Davidovits), and a Dana Ziv-Carmi of Vitzo-Haifa creation (by Isri Halpern. Styling: yours truly).

A Chikita Levov article about "Israel Fashion Art" album-book by Nurit Bat-Yaar in Spanish. Page 1.

A Chikita Levov article about "Israel Fashion Art" album-book by Nurit Bat-Yaar in Spanish, page 2.

"Israel Fashion Art 1948-2008" and The Perfect Style Experience".

"Israel Fashion Art - 1948-2008" among ten fashion books recommended by Signon on June 1, 2011

Hi, Yesterday a very pleasant surprise awaited me at "Signon" the lifestyle weekly magazine of "Maariv"'s daily newspaper. On the occasion of the coming-up Book Fair - Michal Israeli made up a list of the ten  recommended fashion books and album-books. In the article's sub-title she wrote: "We chose ten fashion books that would provide you with the perfect style experience". 

 "Israel Fashion Art - 1948-2008" (Resling) was mentioned next to nine imported books such as Avedon Fashion 1944-2000 by Carol Squiers (Abrams), Vogue Model: The Face of Fashion by Robin Derrick & Robin Muir (Little), Fashion by Charlotte Seeling (Hf Ullmann), The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman (Penguin) etc.

In her item about "Israel Fashion Art - 1948-2008"  "שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל" Michal wrote: "In this lavish book Nurit Bat-Yaar offers an historical viewpoint about Israeli Fashion which focuses not only on the aesthetic aspects but on social and cultural aspects as well. In addition to the marvelous and nostalgic photos which Bat-Yaar collected and saved from extinction and in addition to text which discusses the cultural role Israeli Fashion's played - the book is also spiced with true behind the scenes stories of the fashion industry."

The review was accompanied by a picture of the album-book's cover featuring a photo by Miri Davidovits of a Jacob Harpaz gown modeled by Adaya Meirtcek.

Thank you very much dear Michal Israeli.