Jewish Designers Take Center Stage

I have always been fascinated with fashion. Growing up on the lower east side of Manhattan, with the bargain mecca of Orchard Street beneath me and the clothing racks of the Garment District above me, I have always been interested in what is new and in style.

Back in the late 90s, my husband worked for several years as personal security to Calvin Klein and this gave me my first real peak into the glitz and glamour of the fashion world. Every day when he came home I would interrogate him about the designers and the fashions. Even today I never miss an episode of Project Runway and my heart skips a beat when they show that gorgeous “Needle Threading a Button” sculpture on 7th Avenue in NYC!

Well when I read this morning about a new documentary that is currently in production, I knew it would be right up my alley. The documentary by Pacific Street Films entitled Dressing America: Jews in the Garment Industry, “will tell the story of an often overlooked side of this colorful and vibrant industry – an industry which provided opportunities for countless entrepreneurs, largely Jewish, who blended business acumen with artistic flair – doing for American style what their counterparts in Hollywood did for the cinema.”

The documentary got me thinking about the contributions of Jewish designers in both clothing and jewelry design. From Judith Ripka to Marc Jacobs, the rich history and notable contributions of these amazing artists is undeniable. For many decades, especially during the postwar era, Jewish designers purposefully hid their heritage, but this is definitely changing.

More recently, designers have really been bringing Judaism to the front of the runway! Last summer, designer Alexandre Herchcovitch’s modest show was the talk of the fashion town with a strong use of Jewish themes in his couture line. The Jewish Star was big and I mean big!

Here at Jewish Gift Place, we have an incredible collection of talented Jewish artists creating stylish Judaica! Our Star of David Jewelry is incredibly popular and we are adding new items every day! Here are some pieces that are sure to get you noticed even if you are not on the catwalk!