Not Going Anywhere

Who I am: Hila Gaon, graduate of Shenkar School of Textile and Fashion Design, from Tel Aviv.

Where I come From: "After being head designer at Renuar for five years, I decided to open an independent wedding dress business. I chose this of all fields because it was important for me to escape the field that was so industrial and commercial and draw closer to personal and unique design, that is furthest from production lines."

My flagship dress: "A Greek-style dress that I created for the 2006 collection and is still very popular today. It's made of chiffon and distressed silk, it flows on the body and is very flattering. This Greek style repeated itself with variations in other collections."

From 2007 Collection

My favorite fabrics: "Mostly chiffon and silk."

My target audience is: "Women who are fashion-conscious. Progressive. Usually they are independent career women."

The best part of my job is: "The process of creating and designing the collections. It's very important to me to re-invent and do something new with each line. So that throughout the year, I collect material from anywhere possible: magazines, the internet, in Israel and abroad, and after I see everything, I form an opinion and start designing. So for instance, the 2009 collection is a combination of cotton, stitching, early century lace and crocheting - this is a very vintage styled collection that is assembled from unique items, creating very unique dresses. Unlike the 2008 collection, which was inspired by the fifties and characterized by flowing chiffon."

From 2008 Collection

The least enjoyable part of my job: "Sales. I don't like having to push the dresses. Taste is acquired, and I often create unconventional dresses that women find hard to digest. I understand this, but it's definitely the part I like least."

A bride I liked: "Actress Dana Ivgi got married wearing a dress I designed, and I really liked the way it looked on her. The dress was closed, with a high neck, a creased skirt with a satin belt, and a bowtie with a heart-shaped finish on the chest area. Very fifties."



How I work: "There are two options: designing a new dress by hand, or buy a dress off our racks. In both cases, the first meeting is with a saleslady in the studio. If the bride chooses a ready-made dress, she can come back for a fitting and that's it. Brides who want a custom-made dress see me for four meetings. In warmer months, it's recommended to come 4 months in advance (May - September).

From 2009 Collection

Price Range: Ready-made NIS 6000-7500; Custom: NIS 8000 - 11000. Special bargains in winter.