Israeli Fashion Week Showcases Female Athletes' Athletic Wear

Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and the Hapoel Center collaborated for the first time to present a fashion show celebrating female athletes at Fashion Week Israel Canada Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 12. The event, initiated by Moti Reif, marked Bezalel's 120th and Hapoel Center's 100th anniversaries, highlighting women's sports in Israel.

Designs included a stone-studded red corset inspired by rhythmic gymnasts' competition attire, a leather top with "Einay 15" emblazoned on it, and a silk garment tailored for wheelchair seating. Olympic rhythmic gymnastics champion Linoy Ashram modeled a design by Roni Kaminetz and Amit Rappaport, featuring a red corset and a short pink jacket. Olympic taekwondo medalist Avishag Semberg, who recently announced her retirement from competitive sports, walked alongside her partner, taekwondo fighter Nimrod Kravitzky. Their outfits, designed by Yael Ben Zion and Alma Tzur, were inspired by taekwondo uniforms, incorporating leather and thick drill fabric.

Former footballer Osherat Einay wore a design by Dekel Peleg and Yiska Ariel Harwood, based on hexagonal and pentagonal soccer ball shapes, with "Einay 15" on the back as a tribute to her player number. Paralympic kayak rower Talia Eilat Feder showcased a silk outfit by Efrat Vashel, inspired by her dream of becoming a dancer and her rowing journey during rehabilitation from an injury. Vashel adapted the garment's cut to Feder's measurements and wheelchair seating position.

The show also featured Olympic tennis player Tzipi Obziler, basketball player Ortal Zevi Oren, weightlifter Nicole Rubanovich, acrobatic gymnast Romi Tal, volleyball player Galit Dvash, and Alona Barkat. Students from Bezalel's Jewelry and Fashion Department, led by Shanit Adam, developed the collections over several months. They studied the specific clothing requirements for each sport, from taekwondo's range of motion to the visual role of leotards in rhythmic gymnastics, and collaborated with the athletes to create the designs.

Moti Reif stated that the collaboration aims to "shine a spotlight on women's sports and the athletes who have become role models and a source of inspiration for an entire generation of girls." Kineret Tzadok, CEO of Hapoel Center, noted that the exhibition introduces fashion week attendees to less-covered sports in Israel, such as women's rugby, fencing, and Paralympic kayaking, alongside popular sports like soccer and tennis. Shanit Adam explained that the design process considered the unique demands of each sport, such as the strength and stability needed for weightlifting, wind and water resistance for sailing, and the extensive leg and hip mobility required for taekwondo, while also acknowledging the visual aspect of athletic wear in gymnastics.