Israel's First Fashion Museum to Open in Tel Aviv
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Israel's first fashion museum, a joint venture between the Azrieli Group and curator Dr. Yaara Kedar, is set to open in Tel Aviv in early 2025. Located in the Azrieli Sarona complex, the 1,150-square-meter museum aims to attract over 250,000 visitors annually. The Azrieli Group is investing 8-10 million shekels, granting Kedar creative control over the project. The museum will feature both international and Israeli fashion, with plans to build a significant collection over time.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's first fashion museum will open in Tel Aviv in early 2025, a project by the Azrieli Group and curator Yaara Kedar.
- The museum will be located in the Azrieli Sarona complex, spanning three floors and approximately 1,150 square meters.
- The Azrieli Group is investing 8-10 million shekels in the museum, aiming for over 250,000 annual visitors.
- Curator Yaara Kedar has extensive experience, having curated successful exhibitions and interned at major international fashion institutions.
- The museum aims to showcase both Israeli and international fashion, fostering a deeper appreciation for the art form.
- The collection will include pieces from Kedar's personal collection, donations, and items created specifically for exhibitions.
Tel Aviv is set to welcome Israel's inaugural fashion museum in early 2025, a significant cultural initiative spearheaded by the Azrieli Group, led by Dana Azrieli, and fashion historian and curator Dr. Yaara Kedar. The museum will occupy three floors, totaling approximately 1,150 square meters, within the commercial section of the Azrieli Sarona complex. This project, which has been in development for three years, replaces a planned luxury boutique mall that suffered from low occupancy and visitor numbers. The developers aim to attract over 250,000 visitors annually.
Dr. Kedar, who will curate the museum, has a proven track record of drawing large audiences to fashion exhibitions, including those at the Design Museum Holon, which attracted over half a million visitors. Her lectures are also highly popular, and her recent book became a bestseller. Kedar, who interned at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute and the Museum at FIT in New York, believes Israel is ready for such an institution. She views fashion as a lens through which to understand history, culture, society, gender, and politics, aiming to showcase Israeli fashion and creativity.
The Azrieli Group is investing between 8 to 10 million shekels in the project and is granting Kedar creative freedom without commercial interference. Kedar is open to sponsorships, provided they are relevant and do not dictate content, a practice common in international museums. She aims to elevate the perception of fashion in Israel, countering the view that it is a superficial pursuit and highlighting its role as a form of expression, identity, and historical documentation.
The museum's collection will grow over time, incorporating items from exhibitions, public auctions, and private donations, alongside Kedar's personal collection of rare pieces. This collection includes items like a 2008 Alber Elbaz dress for Lanvin and a 1993 Vivienne Westwood pair of shoes. Kedar also recently inherited the extensive book collection of her late mentor, Tamara Yuval Jones, which will be preserved for researchers. Kedar envisions the museum becoming an indispensable part of Israel's cultural landscape, akin to major fashion museums worldwide.
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