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Shira Reznikov Zohar

Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art

My name is Shira Reznikov Zohar. I’m 25 years old, live in Tel Aviv, and happily married to Idan who is currently a law student. I come from a creative, multidisciplinary family: my father is a designer and brand strategist, my mother holds a PhD in chemistry and works in the cosmetics field, my twin brother is preparing for medical school, and my older sister is an industrial engineer. I grew up in an environment where aesthetics, culture, and creativity were part of daily life. My parents exposed us to museums, exhibitions, and art—both local and international. From a young age, I learned to value conceptual thinking, visual language, and storytelling. The path to fashion design felt natural and inevitable. After completing high school, I volunteered for two years of National Service. The first year, I worked at a youth boarding school, and the second at TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers), an initiative that develops open-source assistive technologies for people with disabilities. There, I was introduced to 3D printing, laser cutting, and the potential of design as a human-centered solution—blending creativity, technology, and social awareness. Since 2021, I have been studying fashion design at Shenkar College, and will graduate in the summer of 2025. My work centers around themes of identity, memory, tradition, and the body. Coming from a traditional background, I explore how conservative cultural values can be reimagined through contemporary design—without erasing their emotional or symbolic roots. I see the body as a space of negotiation: between concealment and exposure, structure and freedom, memory and transformation. My garments serve as symbolic vessels and tools for self-expression. Using wrapping, layering, textile manipulation, and silhouette shifts, I reframe traditional elements in a fresh, relevant visual language. For me, clothing carries both personal and collective memory—it is a site for continuity and reinvention. I work primarily by draping directly on the mannequin, combining diverse fabrics and unconventional materials. I believe the technical process is inseparable from the conceptual. Working by hand allows me to organically develop new forms, textures, and silhouettes that connect emotional depth with material innovation. In my free time, I enjoy running, walking by the sea, listening to music, and cooking or baking for my loved ones. I believe that any space of movement, presence, and intention is fertile ground for creativity. My inspiration stems from daily life, quiet moments, and human connection - the drama comes later, as a stylistic layer added to elevate and express the essence. Beyond my studies, I design custom bridal and eveningwear, work as a stylist and fashion buyer, and take part in fashion editorials for both local and international publications. One of my designs was selected for an upcoming international exhibition at the Balenciaga Museum in Spain, opening October 2025—an exciting milestone that reflects my commitment to merging local identity with global design dialogue. Looking ahead, I hope to expand my knowledge through professional experience, internships, and continued learning, on path to launching an independent studio that reflects my voice as a designer and contributes meaningfully to the future of fashion.

Modern Conservatism bags

Category: Accessories

Competitions: International

The project explores the dilemma of preserving tradition within a modern world. Tradition is often seen as a protected, encapsulated realm—frequently in tension with contemporary life. This dilemma is personal, reflecting my experience navigating between a traditional lifestyle and modern realities. The work examines the relationship between memory, tradition, and modern life through values such as wrapping, dramatic form, exposure, release, revelation, and layering. The goal is to root the collection in material, textural, and decorative memories drawn from formal traditions and Orthodox culture, while simultaneously granting the wearer agency—allowing her to choose the level, manner, and timing of exposure. The garments function as enveloping layers that construct new silhouettes. Through the act of wrapping, they reshape and reimagine the boundaries of the human and female form, resulting in shapes that are familiar yet subtly transformed. This interplay between recognizable silhouettes and innovative boundary-pushing reflects the search for new ways to define and contain tradition in a modern context—without erasing its core. By balancing concealment and revelation, the project questions how tradition can evolve without losing its foundation, and how clothing can serve as both a vessel of memory and a space for personal freedom and reinterpretation.

Molded Antoinette

Category: Apparel

Competitions: International

Hii my name is Shira, I’m 25 years old from Tel Aviv Israel, happily married, and deeply passionate about creation and fashion. As part of the ‘Fashion Tech’ course, I was asked to select an object from a space that inspires me. I chose a kugelhopf cake mold, intrigued by its rich historical and cultural significance. My research led me to a surprising connection with Marie Antoinette, and I was fascinated by the visual dialogue between the mold’s structured form and the iconic silhouette of her garments. This connection became the foundation for a contemporary wardrobe system inspired by the mold's geometry. Using digital tools like MeshMixer and CLO 3D, I scanned the mold’s surface and translated its three-dimensional qualities into an innovative garment pattern. The design process blended historical reference with modern technique, reimagining the mold as a source of both aesthetic and structural inspiration. To further deepen the concept, I incorporated a variety of leather materials that evoke the rich texture and color of the cake itself—creating a tactile, visual, and symbolic fusion between food, fashion, and form.

Modern Conservatism

Category: Apparel

Competitions: International

The project explores the dilemma of preserving tradition within a modern world. Tradition is often seen as a protected, encapsulated realm—frequently in tension with contemporary life. This dilemma is personal, reflecting my experience navigating between a traditional lifestyle and modern realities. The work examines the relationship between memory, tradition, and modern life through values such as wrapping, dramatic form, exposure, release, revelation, and layering. The goal is to root the collection in material, textural, and decorative memories drawn from formal traditions and Orthodox culture, while simultaneously granting the wearer agency—allowing her to choose the level, manner, and timing of exposure. The garments function as enveloping layers that construct new silhouettes. Through the act of wrapping, they reshape and reimagine the boundaries of the human and female form, resulting in shapes that are familiar yet subtly transformed. This interplay between recognizable silhouettes and innovative boundary-pushing reflects the search for new ways to define and contain tradition in a modern context—without erasing its core. By balancing concealment and revelation, the project questions how tradition can evolve without losing its foundation, and how clothing can serve as both a vessel of memory and a space for personal freedom and reinterpretation. The collection is composed of several key elements: the white Shabbat blouse, symbolizing formal attire associated with the “Shabbes” aesthetic; the use of textiles and elements drawn from the Orthodox religious world, such as lace, poplin, velvet, silk, leather, and an exaggerated sense of festivity. In addition, there are ornamental details inspired by Judaica. I used a bonding technique that allows me to merge traditional lace with everyday nylon, creating a new visual language of covering that navigates between the sacred and the secular. The collection forms a fusion between secularism and conservatism, between the new and the old. It offers a fresh, expressive approach to traditional boundaries through unconventional and innovative silhouettes—allowing space for the passage of time and change without compromising ancient conservatism.

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