Tel Aviv Fashion Week Brings Protests against Anti-Overhaul on the Runway
The Kornit Fashion Week had its opening on Sunday evening in Tel Aviv, which saw a designer take protests against the judicial overhaul plans of the government on to the fashion runway.
Designer David Weksler is based in Jaffa and the Brazilian Israeli is known for specializing in upcycled, sustainable textiles as well as fabrics that are printed digitally.
The protest
The designer’s models were holding placards on the runway that denounced the coalition’s divisive plans of overhauling the judiciary.
The models were marching down the runway while holding the signs that focused on democracy and rebellion.
The models were wearing the trademark colorful streetwear that Weksler is known for and layers of fabrics printed digitally were mixed and matched for giving a unique effect.
Weksler graduated from the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design and also went to London to attend Central Saint Martins.
The designer has a reputation of pushing societal boundaries, particularly in areas of masculinity and gender.
This year, he has collaborated with Kornit Digital for his collection, which is the sponsor of the fashion event.
As far as the focus of his collection is concerned, it involves recycled fashion that has been designed with AI (artificial intelligence).
Sunday’s events
The future of fashion is one of the topics that Weksler seems to be quite keen on exploring. Therefore, the designer uses advanced printing technologies for upcycling clothing and the collections that are created are dictated by fabric.
The group of models representing Weksler on Sunday were wearing pagan-like battle stripes and they were wearing opposing themes of black-and-white versus colorful clothing.
All the while, they were holding placards to replay the recent events that had occurred during the weekly demonstrations that are taking place all over Israel.
One model came forward dressed as a cop and his shirt pockets were tacked with colorful textile patches.
The police offer handed out fake ‘fines’ to people who were sitting in the front row, mimicking the events of the weekly protests.
Weksler referred to the event as a reality show taking place on the runway, setting the opening theme for Motti Reif’s 12th Fashion Week.
The Fashion Week
There are a total of 28 shows that will be part of the event this year and they feature new names in the fashion industry, along with top fashion designers.
The Tel Aviv Fashion Week is going to last a week and will be held through March 23rd. It will be a combination of events that promote social awareness as well as fashion shows.
There will be talks on sustainability and environmental recycling and panels on female entrepreneurship, sexuality, body transformation, women’s health, fertility and menopause.
The last two months have seen hundreds of thousands of Israelis take to the streets to protest against the sweeping plan of the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take control of the judiciary.
According to opponents, the plan will weaken Israel’s democracy, while supporters claim it is essential for reining in an activist court.
