Belly's

DESIGN CRUSH: GILI UNGAR

Once in a while, if you're lucky enough, you fall in love with an image, a vision, a room, a design. I'm sure all of you design bloggers and lovers know what I mean. If you're lucky enough it sticks with you, inspires you, maybe even transform you in some way.

 

 Once in a while you get the chance to meet the person behind the design, and if you're lucky enough, he (or she) turns out to be a genuinely nice person. Maybe even a friend. Such is the case with Gili Ungar.

 

I stumbled upon his rooms via Facebook (thank you, Mark Zuckerberg). I have long wanted to feature more Israeli designers/decorators on the blog and had a hard time approaching them (it was before I started writing for magazines). I sent him a message and he was so amazingly gracious. We met and talked, he sent me more pictures of an office he designed. Gili studied photography in Bezalel and even interned for David LaChapelle in New York. I think you can clearly see his art background in the rooms he creates. They have this collected, curated feel. He uses a lot of vintage pieces from all over the world and (like me) is in love with textile.

 

When all details were finalized and I knew I was going to start writing for Go Style magazine I knew I HAD TO write about that office. It was so spectacularly happy and colorful and right in every way... So I did. The article will be published in the April issue, coming out next Thursday. Meanwhile, you can enjoy some of Gili's other works and visit his website and brand new blog.

ps. Gili also helped me pick out the fabrics for the office redo, I hope I can show you more progress by next week!

 

{photos: Gili Ungar}

made in tlv: designer roni kantor's fairytale dresses

"Like everything good in life, design happened to me by accident," says Israeli fashion designer Roni Kantor.

She traveled to Thailand after yet another job where she couldn't find herself (this is the point where a lot of us nod and sigh), to recuperate, breath a little and enjoy. Little did she know this trip will prove to be life changing.

"I went to a flea-market, just strolling by, when I eyed a bunch of dresses from the '50s. The minute I saw them I knew how they are supposed to be. I immediately found a sewing workshop nearby, and spent the rest of my trip trying to explain to seamstresses what I want to do with these dresses."

When Roni returned to Israel she hosted a sale event in her home, where she also put up her dresses for sale. She was almost surprised when they were al sold up within the day. She went back to Thailand to try to find out where all these dresses come from, asking and looking for clues, until someone clued her in.

"Turns out the dresses came from Cambodia. I was led to a huge hangar, brimming with vintage clothing. The garments were apparently sent from abroad during the crisis that Cambodia went through in the '70s, but somehow were never used."

Back in Israel, Roni continued to redesign dresses, shortening sleeves, adding points of interest, and all in all making them fit for the fashion-forward urban woman. Roni, who has been sewing since she remembers herself, has a keen eye for figure-flattering shapes and cuts and has the rare talent of making vintage gals, hipsters and urban, modern dressing women all fall in love with her clothes. Unsurprisingly, her sale events became so popular she had to move the dresses, which now became her business, to a studio.

Re-designing vintage clothes is very eco-chic. I wonder if that was intentional or just a by-product of what you do?

"Well, at the beginning it was indeed accidental, but I'm passionate about the environment. After starting to design my own vintage-inspired clothing (aside from the vintage re-designs) I proceeded to design a line of shoes, which is leather-free."

That is a very brave step for an Israeli designer, was it hard to do so in a society where to many people leather equals quality?

"Extremely. Many people claimed it isn't possible, but we researched our materials thoroughly and now we get rave reviews on the shoes, even from the initial nay-sayers."

 Sitting with Roni at her stunning, salon-like studio (more on that later), it's obvious that she puts her heart into each and every design, her re-designs and vintage-inspired dresses alike, the shoes and the accessories made of vintage knickknacks she collects. I came as a complete stranger and by the time I left I... well, simply didn't want to leave the place.I had the constant feeling that my American and European friends would be all over Roni's gorgeous items, if they could only visit, so I was delighted to hear an online shop and a blog may be in Roni Kantor's future. Meanwhile, you can check out her page on Facebook.

And to think it all started in a trip to Thailand.

pssst... Caught a few glimpses of Roni's amazing studio in this post and dying to see more? Come back next week for a studio tour. I assure you: You won't want to miss this.

{photography: Dror Ben Naftali}

made in tlv: belle & sue

made in tlv is a new series in which I'll be talking to Israeli creatives and lifestyle entrepreneurs that catch my eye and excite my taste buds.

When I first heard about Belle & Sue it was like something fell into place. Not only was a designer clothing e-shop a necessity not met in Israel up until now, their name was just so... perfect. I had to meet the minds behind the site and get some answers. Inbal Boussiba (aka Belle) was nice enough to chat with me.

Hi Inbal, first off- I'm curious about your backgrounds...

I work in fashion buying, I attend all the important fashion weeks for years now. Shira [her partner] is a fashion consultant abroad and also teaches at Parsons in New York.

Well, how did it all start? Was it always your dream?

We are best friends since age six, and we always knew we will do something fashion related together. this specific idea came just a year and a half ago and since then it's been a whirlwind to get it done.

You really filled a void in the market, do you have any specific goals besides being a fashion e commerce site?

We wanted to create an intimate space on the web, where people will feel good buying clothes and spending time. That's why are models are "real people" - one of them was actually pregnant while we shot, the other is a mom. we strive to create a friendly vibe, with a name and a voice behind the products.

The trench coat I bought fit surprisingly well for my size 14, what are you planning to do about plus sizes?

For now, we order all the sizes available from each item, not skipping the larger sizes like some stores do. We would definitely look into this in the future.

you have a nice mixture of designers right now. Which direction are you going: high end or indie?

We are going to keep a nice balance and carry both high end companies and indie, in addition to a lot more vintage clothes.

What else is in the works at Belle &Sue? Children clothes maybe? That would be perfect!

Yes, actually. We're working on kids clothes. What I can tell you that is coming in the near future is a line for men and a capsule line designed by me that will include dresses, skirts, blazers and accessories. Probably for the summer already. We are going to have exciting collaborations like the one we had with Vogue London's fashion night in.

What about social media, blogs?

We are avid readers of fashion blogs, both Israeli and international. Sea of Shoes, Jack and Jil, Nekudot, Style Cookie- to name a few. Aside from our active facebook page we plan on starting a blog with pictures from the major fashion weeks, interviews with designers and a lot more.

Inbal, it's been a pleasure. Before we part, can you name your wardrobe must-haves?

A good pair of jeans which you feel good in, not too trendy, and a tailored blazer is even more important to your wardrobe than a dress.

Thanks, Inbal!

I rounded up some of my favorite items from Bell &Sue:

 watercolor skirt: charlotte ronson, vintage sunnies (sold out) by cazal, thomas paul laptop case, velvet flats: house of harlow, cheetah shoes: jeffery campbell - all Belle & Sue

Okay, seriously, I must post a bigger photo of these shoes:

Don't forget to visit Belle &Sue for more goodies!

welcome to the playground

Being in the designing for kids state of mind lately, I've been so disappointed with the local offerings in this area. Everything is either too minimalistic or hurts-your-eyes colorful, with as many TV series characters as can be pushed into one room, and don't get me started about the wallpaper borders epidemic...

All the more reason why I was positively stunned to see this Israeli private kindergarten in Ramat Hasharon, a suburb of Tel Aviv, designed by Israeli architecture and interior-design firm Lev-Gargir on the Cool Hunter. UPDATE: the furniture and interior design were done by Israeli designer Sarit Shani Hay, the architecture was done by Lev-Gargir.

Functional, comfortable, beautiful and just right. I hope this is the first of many gorgeous, playful spaces for kids.

Note the splatter ceiling.

I admit I would fill it up a little more, but I like it as is, too.

What do you think?

 

{images: Lev Gargir architecture and interiors}