Can Israel become a fashion nation?
Last October, while attending Tel Aviv Fashion Week, I met Israeli fashion attorney Racheli Zilberfarb. We quickly became friends, and when we met again a few months later in Israel, she shared an ambitious vision with me: She wanted to create Israel’s first-ever fashion conference.
I immediately loved the idea. It was trailblazing, long overdue and exactly what I believed Israel’s fashion industry needed. No one had ever organized a conference dedicated solely to discussing the future of fashion in Israel.
Racheli’s vision extends far beyond a single conference. As she told me, “I see Israel as a leading power in world fashion, specifically in tech-fashion, showcasing the most cutting-edge designs. We have the talent, and I hope that a decade from now we will also have our neighbors as friends and allies, making the Middle East a global center of fashion.”
Racheli also shared an observation that has stayed with me. She compared Israel’s fashion industry today to the country’s culinary scene years ago. There was a time when few people thought of Israel as a food destination. Today, visitors travel from around the world to experience the restaurants of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and beyond. We both believe the same transformation is possible for Israeli fashion.
I couldn’t wait to see Racheli turn her vision into reality. Less than a year later, she did just that.
On July 9, I had the privilege of attending the inaugural Israel Fashion Conference (IFC) at Hangar 11 in the Tel Aviv Port. The conference brought together designers, entrepreneurs, educators, retailers, journalists and international fashion leaders to explore one central question: Can Israel become a fashion nation?
An Industry Legend
Racheli, a young mother of four, together with co-founder Romi Harush, transformed her vision into a landmark event. Among the featured speakers was one of the most influential women in fashion: industry legend Fern Mallis.
I first met Fern several years ago in New York City at the Accessories Council ACE Awards. I was honored to be there as a design finalist while Fern was receiving the Hall of Fame ACE Award. Known as the “Godmother of Fashion,” Fern created New York Fashion Week and spent decades shaping the industry through leadership roles with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and IMG Fashion.
After we met, I sent Fern one of my NANDANIE ties as a thank-you. To my surprise and delight, she wore it the very next evening to the Fashion Institute of Technology Annual Gala, where she serves on the FIT Foundation Board. It was an incredibly meaningful gesture and one I will never forget. Her genuine enthusiasm for championing emerging designers is just one of the many reasons I have always admired her.
Seeing Fern in Tel Aviv felt especially meaningful. It was her first visit to Israel in 57 years. Here was the woman who launched New York Fashion Week, sharing her experience with an industry still defining its place on the global stage.
During her visit, I had the opportunity to spend time with Fern, including showing her around one of my favorite neighborhoods, Neve Tzedek, and its wonderful boutiques. It was such a pleasure seeing Israel through her eyes.
My daughter Grace also had the opportunity to get to know Fern during her visit. Grace will begin studying at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business this fall, and I wanted her to meet a woman who transformed an industry. Fern’s career is a masterclass in leadership, vision, entrepreneurship and the importance of lifting others along the way.
What has always impressed me most about Fern isn’t simply what she accomplished — it’s how she treats people. Despite decades at the top of the fashion world, she remains gracious, humble and genuinely kind. Her personal mantra is wonderfully simple: “Be nice.”
The Challenges Ahead
The conference acknowledged the challenges of building a fashion industry during wartime and within a relatively small domestic market. Yet the overwhelming message throughout the day was one of optimism and opportunity.
Israel already enjoys an outstanding international reputation for bridal design, while its leadership in technology is creating exciting possibilities in fashion innovation. Rather than trying to imitate Paris, Milan or New York, Israel has the opportunity to build a fashion industry that reflects its own character — creative, entrepreneurial, resilient and innovative.
One city embracing that vision is Ashdod.
Ashdod has made a deliberate decision to position itself as Israel’s “Fashion City,” investing in fashion exhibitions, educational initiatives and opportunities for emerging designers. As a strategic partner of the inaugural Israel Fashion Conference, the city demonstrated that it sees fashion as more than an industry — it sees it as part of its cultural identity and future. By supporting young talent and creating opportunities for the next generation, Ashdod is helping build the kind of creative ecosystem every successful fashion center needs.
Fashion reflects culture, identity, history and innovation. It creates jobs, builds businesses and tells the story of a nation in ways that transcend language.
If Israel’s first Fashion Conference proved anything, it’s that building a fashion nation isn’t just about great designers. It takes visionaries willing to challenge convention, invest in the next generation and believe that Israeli creativity deserves a place on the world stage.
The conversation has begun. Now it’s Israel’s turn to build what comes next.
Nancy Berman of Huntington Woods is the founder and creator of NANDANIE, a luxury women’s neckwear brand sold worldwide. Her photo was by Liya Geldman.