One fashion designer is using her platform during New York Fashion Week (NYFW) to rise above antisemitism and awareness for last year’s terrorist attack in Israel.
Hundreds of small yellow ribbons clung to the walls of White Space Chelsea located at 530 West 25th Street as models sashayed across the runway wearing designs inspired by Israeli culture and the repercussions of war between Israel and Palestine entitled, “Unclassified.”
“I actually found myself pretty paralyzed after Oct. 7, and feeling like what I do is somewhat meaningless compared to what is going on in the world. I felt really down and depressed and like I said, paralyzed. It took me a while to get to a place where I thought, okay, what can I do? How can I express what I’m feeling? Bring attention to the issue, contribute in some way? And this is what I came up with. I thought I get a spotlight on me for two minutes; Let me use it to kind of share my emotional experience,” fashion designer Gita Omri said.
Standing amongst a dozen models exhibiting her clothing designs, Omri donned her 10-year-old Israeli air force jacket and military medallions with her very customized t-shirt written in Hebrew that depending on the punctuation could be read as the word evil or kinship.
“The yellow ribbons and the yellow in the collection represent the importance and need to bring the hostages back and to ensure our existence and safety as Jewish and Israeli people,” Omri said.
Omri’s designs combined both the Jewish religion and Israel army with creation such as a brick-like pattern inspired by the Wailing Wall coupled with military green suits and combat boots.
“The print for this season that I designed is from a painting of the Wailing Wall that I did in Jerusalem. And I really wanted to incorporate that because that is our holy place, where we go and we pray and talk to God. I brought in a lot of the military influence from my pride from when I was a soldier and I feel very much part of that and I wanted to express that in this collection,” Omri said. “All of my friends got called up and I couldn’t go back. You know, I couldn’t go and serve and so this is my way of kind of putting a tribute to that.”
Guests included fashion icons Olga Ferrara and Chris Lavish, who appeared impressed with the showcase. Others like PJ Gach, a fashion writer, was left in tears stating that the work had a profound impact on her as a Jewish woman.
Wiping away tears, Gach shared that since the war began, she has experienced an influx of antisemitic remarks in her daily life. From hateful comments on social media, to slurs in the street, so when she saw Omri’s show it gave her a feeling of solidarity and pride.
“It was very visceral for me. I’m Jewish and antisemitism has always been there but it’s just that the war has given people license to be incredibly ugly and show us who people really are,” Gach said. “To know people want to actively kill me because of my religion is horrible, and to see [Omri’s collection] and this pride means a lot. It’s very emotional and feels like no place is safe.”
