Israeli Fashion Revisits the Jazz Age with Color and Creativity

Israeli Fashion Revisits the Jazz Age with Color and Creativity
When you enter designer Ron Mandelman's shop at 43 Sheinkin Street in Tel Aviv, Israeli jazz plays as a backdrop to the brightly colored, one-of-a-kind pieces featured along the walls.

"What's new this season are 1920s and 1930s dresses, with glamorous, draping fabrics, and deep, exposed backs," Mandelman says. "It's about a sense of escapism from an artistic perspective, but one that is suitable for all types of women's bodies."

While Israel's politicians are planning road maps for the future, Israel's fashion designers are looking for inspiration from the past, and finding it in the Jazz Age. This spring, women's clothing in Tel Aviv is taking cues from the roaring '20s, with pieces that comfortably drape the figure in light fabrics, tiered designs, and a combination of flapper and kibbutznik style.

At Razili stores, which offer clothing from dozens of Israeli designers, a 21st-century take on Charleston style dominates, with streamlined flapper fashion appropriate for both Israeli practicality and elegance. Short-sleeved shirts frill at mid-shoulder, and longer sleeves drift with graceful fabrics and angled cuts.

"Israeli designers understand Israeli bodies," said Shir, 27, a saleswoman. "Israeli designers understand Israeli summer. European designers don't have the answer for a heat wave in August."