A Century of Fashion, Israeli Style
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
‘Tel Aviv is unbelievable in terms of the fashion scene,” said Fern Penn, who has worked in various areas of the fashion industry for the past 25 years. Indeed, five years ago Penn was so taken with the styles in Israel that she decided to fully immerse herself in that world.
“I said to my husband, ‘We must open a store.’”
Today, she and her husband, Leslie, own and run Rosebud, a boutique in Manhattan that exclusively sells clothing, jewelry, handbags and home accessories that were designed and made in Israel.
But Rosebud is not just another upscale shop. The Penns keep things interesting with rotating art exhibits, usually concepts born of Fern’s vivid imagination. “I’m always coming up with a different idea,” she said. And earlier this year, with Israel’s 60th anniversary approaching, she was inspired once again.
For the next several weeks, Rosebud will host an exhibit dedicated to Israeli fashion, featuring vintage clothing from the past century. The SoHo-based store is showcasing evening gowns and dresses by Ata, Gottex and Maskit, dating from the 1950s through the ’70s; early 20th-century embroidered blouses, and shirts handmade by kibbutzniks.
Penn searched flea markets and vintage stores in Israel to find the pieces. Some 18 items are on display.
“It’s really bringing a lot of people into the store, which is fun,” Penn said. “People want to buy the things.” Fashionistas with a love for the styles of bygone eras, however, will be disappointed: The threads are not up for sale.
The exhibit also includes vintage fashion photos by famed Israeli photojournalist Rudi Weissenstein.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
