Ilanit's Eurovision Dress & Israel Fashion Art Album-Book

Hi, At least three gowns which were worn by Israel's representatives to the European song competition Eurovision are mentioned in "Israel Fashion Art"  "שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל". One is Orna Datz dress which was designed by Yaron Minkowski from emboidered Bucharian table cloths purchased in Jaffa's flea market. Another is Gali Attari's dress on pants designed by Dorin Frankfurt. And yet another is the caftan Rozi Ben-Joseph designed for Ilanit's 1973 Eurovision appearance.

Ilanit's 1973 participation in the international song contest was Israel's first time in it and it won her the honorable  4th place. But this is not the reason I'm bringing it up now. This week Ilanit is going to star in the television program "Dancing with Stars" and according to her appearance in a sexy black lace gown in the show's promo it looks like she is going to be a big hit.

This brought to mind her Eurovision biblical caftan about which I wrote in my book since there's an interesting story behind it. The fabric it was made of was originally a fabric used to make simple kitchen towels. But since it was made from a weaving and knitting combination technique it had a slightly 3D texture which aroused the designer's interest who upgraded it with colorful stripes inspired by Beduin fabric. She then decorated it with a crochet knitting.

The dress aroused a lot of interest in Europe and Rozi Ben-Joseph got a lot of orders for it. In order to cope with them she hired the help of elderly ladies in an old age home who recreated the crochet knitting decorations. After all the orders were completed and the caftans were shipped the golden-age ladies were disappointed that they aren't needed any longer. In order to make them happy and provide them with income  Rozi decided to decorate additional gowns with crochet pieces.

More Accolades to "Israel Fashion Art": "It's a Treasure"

Hi, in my previous post I was happy to share with you and to thank Prof. Efrat Tseelon for including an article about "Israel Fashion Art"
"שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל" in the British Leeds Univ. "Intellect" Journal which she edits but I didn't include
some relevant links. So here they are: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/csfb/2012/00000002/f0020001
Or the Intellect website
http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals/view-issue,id=2104/

Lea Gottlieb, Gottex 1980. Photo: Nira David Dror. From Israel Fashion Art" album-book by Nurit Bat-Yaar

Since, Passover is around the corner I would like to bring to your attention, that Israel's Egyptian heritage is researched and colorfully represented in the album-book, particularly in the chapter "From Pharoes daughters to President Sadaat Peace Visit" and hence might add a fresh and surprising aspect to the Seder's table. So this is an additional reason to view the book as a holiday gift for yourself and/or your loved ones.


Looking for more reasons? Here are some of the heart-warming responses the book has received for which I thank from the depth of my heart: 

Mimi Ziv, a Shenkar Prof. wrote to me that the book is a treasure 
Yaheli Hashefa  wrote that it is a masterpiece
Luci Zutof: The book is amazing and a must to whomever is interested in culture, fashion or history.
Michal Avissar: It is heavenly

מימי זיו                                                                                                                                                                                  Mimi Ziv, Oct. 31, 2011 Shenkar Prof.                         

נורית יקרה, הצטרפתי לעמוד, הספר שלך הוא אוצר לכל מי שמתעניין באופנה! מכיון שאני מרצה בשנקר ובמכון הטכנולוגי אני גם ממליצה עליו! והבלוג שלך מעניין מאד!שתהיה לך שנה טובה!מכל הלב

מימי

אייר סהר       Iyar Sahar, FB.Nov.15,2011                                                 

·                                 נורית? יש לי את הספר שלך "שיכרון עיצובים" ספר מעולה!!!! המון תודה

תמי יעוז כץ  Tami Yeoz Kats, FB. Nov. 16, 2011                                                             

שלום נורית, את הספר כבר יש לי והוא ממש אבן דרך למי שאוהבת אופנה, כמוני....שבת שלום

§                                                                                  

שירלי לייטר     Shierly Later, FB. Nov. 16, 2011                                                 

נורית, לי כבר יש את הספר :-) ואני ממליצה עליו בחום...באמת זו הנחה יפה ומחיר שווה!

דיאנה מטזיק      Diana Matzik, FB. Nov. 17, 2011                             

נורית ....הספר הנפלא הזה הוא נכס צאן ברזל לתרבות שלנו ועל כך הערכה רבה וגדולה לך.

יהלי השפע    Yahli Hashefa, FB. Nov. 24, 2011                                      

"הספר שלך הוא "masterpiece

לוסי זוטוף         Lucy Zotoff, Fashion blogger, Dec.9, 2011                  

הספר מדהים וחובה לכל מי שמתעניין ולו מעט בהיסטוריה, אופנה ותרבות

Johannes Felten      FB. Dec. 9, 2011                                         ג'והאנס פלטן                                                                      

 היי נורית, קיבלתי את הספר כמתנת יום הולדת וכמובן לא יכולתי להתאפק ופתחתי מיד. אני חי בישראל 30 שנה וכצלם וחובב אופנה אני חייב להגיד שלא ראיתי דבר כזה בישראל עד עכשיו. תענוג לעיניים מבחינה ויזואלית עם צילומים נהדרים על כל תקופותיה של האופנה בארץ ועם מחקר בהחלט רציני ומקיף שמכבד ספר ברמה שכזה. מאד נהניתי לראות גם צילומים שלא הכרתי קודם של רון קדמי ואחרים. שאפו, כל הכבוד, נורית!

                                                

שרון מגיד      Sharon Magid, FB. Dec 20, 2011

אין ספק שאת אדם מעניין ומיוחד שהפך לחלק מהיסטוריה התרבותית של העם הניבחר.. את מוסיפה צבע לקשת שכבר קיימת פה מתחילת המאה שעברה. מפעל חיים בהיתגלמותו! מבטיח להמשיך לעיין לקרוא ולהציץ לתוך יצירותיך. יום מקסים שרון

  ‏                                              

דליה אנקר    

Dalia Anker. FB. Dec. 21, 2011  

"קניתי, איכותי, קלאסי, אופרה אחרת"

                                        מיכל אבישר      Michal Avissar, FB. Dec. 19, 2011   אהבתי מאוד את "שיכרון עיצובים" סקירת אפנה ישראלית !! גן עדן לאישה מעניין

Thank you all so very much. Your responses are most important and dear to me. Happy Holiday!

This is the 17th 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 on June 27, 2011 and on Aug. 1, 2011 posts. Oct. 3, 2011 , Dec. 1, 2011 and on Jan.22, 2012
Responses from the Academy were posted on (May 3, 2010 ), Museum Curators (July 18, 2010), and the Press (June 15, 2010) .
Shimon Peres, Israel's President's so highly appreciated, heart-warming response was posted on Oct. 15, 2010. 

"Israel Fashion Art" in Leeds University' "Intellect" Journal

Rozi Ben-Yosef 1967. Photo: Ben Lam

I am happy to share with you the fact that a book report about "Israel Fashion Art"  "שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל" was published this week in the British Leeds University' "Intellect Journal" devoted to Critical Studies in Fashion and Beauty".  The article was illustrated by 9 photos from the book, some of which accompany this post.
I apologize for the uneven placement of the article's scanned pages. For some unknown reason
that's the way my home scanner scanned the Journals' pages. I hope the text is readable in spite of the small letters.

Ofra Haza in a Yemenite coins hood. Photo: Moshe Sasson

Lea Gottlieb, Gottex. 1976. Photo Ben Lam.

Fini Leitersdorf, Maskit. 1976. Photo Ben Lam

Andy Warhole, Bob Dylan, Edie Sedwidge and "Israel Fashion Art" Album-Book

A Pillbox hat and seashell accessories by Dori Scengeri exclusive to
"Israel Fashion Art" book.

Photo: Isri Halpern. Styling: Nurit Bat-Yaar Model: Hani Steiner

Hi,  In my "Israel Fashion Art" album-book  "שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל" one of the chapters
is devoted to hats: "From Pioneer Hat to Wonder-Hat". Since I discuss in it not only hats but also
various attitudes towards them such as Actor Charles Laughton's humorous remark in the film "Witness for the Persecution" - I also quoted a couple of lines from poet and Rock star Bob Dylan's song "Leopard-Skin Pill-box Hat" which I thought were quite amusing and inspiring:

[...]Well, you look so pretty in it
Honey, can I jump on it sometime?
[...]You know it balances on your head
Just like a mattress balances
On a bottle of wine....
[...]Well, I saw him
Makin’ love to you
You forgot to close the garage door
You might think he loves you for your money
But I know what he really loves you for
it’s your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat...

Only recently did I discover who Dylan wrote this song about: 1965's "It Girl""Edie" Sedgwick (1943 – 1971) who was an American actress, socialite, fashion model and heiress. She is best known for being one of Andy Warhol's superstars. Sedgwick became known as "The Girl of the Year" in 1965 after starring in several of Warhol's short films in the 1960s. She was dubbed an "It Girl" while Vogue magazine also named her a "Youthquaker". And according to author Truman Capote she was everything pop-artist Warhol wanted to be.

I find it quite exciting to discover "new" additional cultural links/associations to the book.

A sculptural newspaper dress by Shir Dor & Roi Gadasi from the exhibit "The materials out of which words are made" of Haaretz and Shenkar. Photo: Tami Dahan

Hi, Recently I have attended several exhibitions which relate in one way or another to my album-book
"Israel Fashion Art" שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל"                                              

An 1982 creation by Maskit modeled by Tami Ben-Ami.. Photo: Mula Eshet

At the opening of a photography exhibition in the Ramat Aviv Mall I've met an old friend - this 1982 photo of Israel's top-model Tami Ben-Ami (in a "Maskit" outfit) by Mula Eshet from my book "Israel Fashion Art" "שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל". Another old friend was an image of international top-model Michaela Bercu (in a Bagir suit) by Yaki Halperin from the exhibition "Glamor Glimpses - Fashion Photography in a Mirror of a Century"

"הבזקי זוהר - צילום אופנה בראי המאה" which I was invited to curate by The Israel Museum of Photography in Tel-Hai and which opened the millennium in the Museum.

At another exhibit by photographer Mula Eshet I discovered a photo of my very dear friend Alber Elbaz who wrote an introduction to my book. In the photograph Alber (who celebrated yesterday a decade as Lanvin's designer) is seen during his students days several months or a year after I had first met him.

Last week I attended a very unique exhibit "The Materials from which Words are Made" held by Haaretz newspaper in which all the designs exhibited were created by Shenkar students out of old Haaretz newspapers.  The exhibit was initiated by the newspaper's cultural supplement "Galleria"'s editor Lisa Peretz. 

How does it correspond with my book? In the book's chapter "Talking Clothes" I explored the sources of the use of words in fashion as well as in art, referring, among other cultural experiences,  to Picasso's and Braque's use of newspapers in their 1913's collages and to Elsa Schiaparelli's use of newspaper prints in her 1930's fashion. In another chapter about knits I mentioned architect & artist Neta Dor who in 2005 knitted one of her creations from folded strips of.... Haaretz newspaper.

"Israel Fashion Art" was given as a gift to TV stars Tsipi Shavit & Hani Nachmias

A 2004 image exclusive to "Israel Fashion Art" by Nurit Bat-Yaar. Design: Mor Hemed, Bezalel. Photo: Dafna Grossman.

Hi, Yesterday while I was attending the opening of a photography exhibition of Mula Eshet (some of  whose best images are included in my book "Israel Fashion Art") I was approached by a lovely lady who told me that my "album book is simply fantastic. It is so enchanting that I buy it as presents to my friends", she added."I have already given it to (comedy and TV star) Tsipy Shavist as well as to (singer and TV star) Hani Nachmias" This certainly made my day. Although I've heard it more than once I never tire of hearing and reading people who are kind enough to share with me the enjoyment they derive from the book's "encompassing text" and/or its "breathtaking images

Here are some more heartwarming responses the book "Israel Fashion Art"
"שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל"
received: 
Television host of channel 1 Lucy Aharish wrote to me: It was a pleasure and an honor to have you on our program and to praise such an interesting and invested book".  Yaheli Hashefa wrote: "Nurit the book is a masterpiece... as far as I'm concerned it's an art book". Ron Grundland, Gottex CEO, said "the book is stunning''  and Yafa Grebenau, former fashion exporter wrote: "Nurit, you deserve the Golden Needle Award .....".

  Thank you so much dear Yafa, Ron, Yaheli, Lucy and all the other readers who bothered to share with me their enthusiasm about the book:

הילה סדומיניישן                   Sept, 18, 2011        , Hila Sadomination Glam

שלום נורית.

אצטרף בשמחה לעמוד שלך, יש ברשותי את הספר ואני מעיינת בו לעתים קרובות. אכן ספר נהדר. ח"ח על היוזמה.

פנינה סלע   Pnina Sela, journalist. Sept. 23, 2011                                 

‏ ‏"עיינתי בספר והוא פשוט מדהים , יש לשווקו גם בחו"ל"‏

יעל ודן פתיר   Yael & Dan Patir, Former Press Attache in D.C. Sept.28, 2011

יעל: "נורית,  הספר הוא מאסטרפיס". דן: אני מצדיע לך על הספר הנהדר הזה.

הוא כ"כ מקיף, מושקע ומוקפד. פסיק לא הייתי משנה בו".

יהלי השפע      Yahli Hashefa, FB. Sept. 30, 2011                                     

 ‏"נורית הספר הוא יצירת מופת את יכולה להעלות ממנו תמונות זה לא משנה את העובדה דווקא התמונות הן שמעוררות עניין ורצון לקנות את הספר בעיני הוא ספר אומנות וכמובן שנמצא אצלי בספריה"

לוסי אהריש       Lucy Aharish, TV's channel 1 interviewer. Oct. 2, 2011

יקירתי היה לי העונג והכבוד לארח אותך ולפרגן לספר כל כך מושקע ומעניין...ולגבי התגובות לא היה לי צל של ספק! שיהיה המשך הצלחה בכלל ועם הספר בפרט שאין לי ספק, ימשיך לקצור מחמאות ותשבוחות.. ותודה לך על שצירפת אותי לחברייך.

שתהיה שנה טובה ושבוע מקסים

לוסי

יפה גרבנאו       Yaffa Grebenau, former model & exporter. Oct.4, 2011     

שנה נהדרת לך נורית.. מלאת שיכרון של עיצובים, ואמנות האופנה בישראל! מגיע לך פרס ' מחט הזהב ' ... היה פעם פרס כזה, נכון?

רון גרונדלנד               Ron Grundland, Gottex CEO. Oct. 6, 2011             

הספר נראה מדהים.

מאוד מושקע ומעלה זיכרונות.

תודה רבה

ישראל רבינוביץ    Israel Rabinovitz, Art prof. at Kay college. Oct.8, 2011    בהצלחה עם הספר. אהבתי אותו מאד. המשך שבוע מבורך וחג שמח.

חיה מיכלסון     , FB. Oct.15, 2011                                      Chaya Michelson

היי נורית, הצטרפתי בשמחה לעמוד שלך, אני מכירה את הספר שלך ומאוד התרשמתי ממנו ולמדתי ממנו רבות.

איתי לפיד  Itay Lapid, Fashion designer. FB. Oct. 23, 2011                         

נורית היקרה שלום. לכבוד הוא לי להיות לך לחבר, אפילו אם זה רק לדפי הפייסבוק. בהחלט אכנס ללינקים ששלחת לי ואמשיך להתרשם מעבודתך המדהימה לתשוקתינו המשותפת- אופנה. בזמן לימודי האופנה שלי גילית אותך ומאז...משהו השתנה:)

אני מאמין גדול במשפט "אדם שאינו מכיר את עברו, העתיד לא יכיר אותו", ועל כן אני קורא את "שיכרון העיצובים" שוב ושוב, ובכל פעם מחדש נפעם מרמת התחקיר, התמונות המדהימות והחן שבו כתוב הספר. אמנם אני רק בן 25, ורק מתחיל את דרכי בעולם האופנה עם המותג שלי שבטח ראית(פה בפייסבוק יש דף של המותג בשם Gor-Mette ), אבל אני יכול לומר לך בבטחה שהשפעתך בעולם האופנה, גם כיום, ניכרת מאוד. את אישה מלאה 
בטוב טעם, שיק, ותרומתך לעולם האופנה בארצנו הקטנטונת היא אמיתית.

מעריץ נלהב :)
בהערכה רבה.
איתי לפיד.

   
This is the 16th 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 on June 27, 2011 and on Aug. 1, 2011 posts. Oct. 3, 2011 and Dec. 1, 2011.
Responses from the Academy were posted on (May 3, 2010 ), Museum Curators (July 18, 2010), and the Press (June 15, 2010) .
Shimon Peres, Israel's President's so highly appreciated, heart-warming response was posted on Oct. 15, 2010.

Israeli Fashion from "Israel Fashion Art" book in British & U.S.A Web-Magazines

A Silvia Vered design in a Ido Lavie photo exclusive for "Israel Fashion Art" album-book by Nurit Bat-Yaar.

Hi, The fact that Israeli fashion and creativity has a lot to offer internationally has been

proven time and again when world fashion icons such as Jacky Kenedy Onassis, Princess

Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, Sarah Jessica Parker and many others had worn gowns, beachwear,

leather wear, and accessories designed by Israelis. This is all discussed in my album-book

 "Israel Fashion Art"   "שיכרון עיצובים - אמנות האופנה בישראל"

both in a chapter devoted to the subject as well as in relevant fashion concepts chapters.

This is one of the reasons I would like to interest an overseas publisher who would help bring

this coffee table book of mine to international crowd of fashionistas and culture and art lovers. 

Hence, I was very happy to discover that awarness of the book had reached an English and an American web magazines this week. My thanks for this goes to Anna la Germaine

of the London based Fashion Politics magazine: Israel Fashion-Art Book by Nurit Bat-Yaar Fashion Politics
http://www.f-politics.com/
who published part of the interview about the book (which was originally done by Daina Ryan Reed and Sonya Golod of http://dreedtea.com/giveaway-israeli-fashion-art-coffee-table-book.html ) providing its readers with the option to go to Dreedtea and read the article in full and view all the images included in it.

Thanks very much also to Benjamin Ivry of The Jewish Daily Forward. In his book report there named: Israeli Fashionistas in Under 500 Years – The Arty Semite – Forward ... in which he discussed
another book by Anat Helman he refered to "Israel Fashion Art" as well writing: "

A useful complement to Helman’s historical reflections is the lavishly illustrated book by Nurit Bat-Yaar, Israel Fashion Art 1948-2008 out last year from Resling Publishers, Tel Aviv. Former longtime fashion editor of the Yedioth Aharonot daily"...

In addition to that, Benjamin Ivry provides his readers with two video recordings of  Television  interviews about "Israel Fashion Art" (which he must have picked in U Tube) in which I'm discussing the book with Liat Regev of Channel 1 and with Moshe Datz of Channel 2.

To see the above please click: http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/148632/

Thanks so  much!!!