Israeli Fashion Conference Aims to Elevate Industry Despite Setbacks

Eight months ago, Israeli fashion law expert Adv. Racheli Zilberfarb Schreiber reached out to renowned American shoe designer Stuart Weitzman to invite him to speak at Israel's first fashion conference. Although Weitzman initially agreed, he canceled weeks before the July 9 event in Tel Aviv due to personal reasons. Despite this disappointment, Zilberfarb Schreiber remains optimistic about the conference's impact.

The conference, held at Hangar 11, is co-led by Zilberfarb Schreiber and former fashion reporter Romi Harush. It aims to unite designers, industry professionals, media, academia, entrepreneurs, and influencers to place Israeli fashion on the international stage. Both women have invested significant personal funds, totaling hundreds of thousands of shekels, to realize the event without institutional backing.

Zilberfarb Schreiber highlights the fragmented nature of Israel's fashion industry, lacking centralized support or official recognition, unlike countries such as France. She also notes challenges from entrenched egos among veteran designers and insufficient media interest. Harush emphasizes the abundant local talent and the need for media to treat fashion as a powerful economic sector.

The conference will feature panels on strategy, branding, marketing, and innovation, with American fashion executive Fern Mallis as guest of honor. Mallis, founder of New York Fashion Week and former CFDA president, has close ties with the organizers and supports Israeli designers' international exposure.

Zilberfarb Schreiber, a mother of four balancing motherhood and a legal career specializing in fashion law, stresses fashion's potential to reshape Israel's cultural image and foster global connections beyond politics. Both organizers advocate for better education in business and pricing for Israeli designers to overcome market challenges. They also call for greater inclusion of the religious sector, which represents a significant but underserved consumer base.

Harush, soon to be married, brings a media perspective and personal passion for fashion, seeing the conference as a platform to deepen understanding of the industry. Together, they hope the event will catalyze a new era for Israeli fashion, blending creativity, commerce, and cultural diplomacy.