As you’re probably already well aware from the Pinterest shares, Insta posts and general furore on pretty much every wedding blog from all corners of the world, Israeli bridal designers are where it’s at these days, no messing around. From the lookbooks of the sensuous, daring and if we must admit a little risqué Berta and Inbal Dror, to the contemporary silhouettes and pretty embellishments of Lihi Hod and Limor Rosen, to the fashion-forward, out-and-out opulence of Mira Zwillinger, Israeli design is no longer just about heavy beading, low backs and trains that go on for days… in fact it’s quickly becoming known for a wide-ranging variety of high quality, high couture, lusted-after gowns for almost any bridal style. Today we’re taking a look at some of the most exciting designers to come out of Israel for 2017, including the absolute swoon-worthy Liz Martinez – a designer we hope to be seeing a LOT more of over the coming years…
Bridal Designers to Watch Series
So far this year we’ve covered some of our top UK and Irish bridal designers and of course our top wedding dress designers working out of the French capital to watch out for, and next week we’ll be featuring some of our favourite new designers to come out of Australia and the US, so make sure to stay tuned to the weddingsonline blog!
Israeli Designers
Chana Marelus
‘Conservative glamour’ isn’t something that we tend to look for in a wedding dress, but when you think about it – isn’t it the balance most brides are striving for on their Big Day? And if you count yourself as one of these on-the-ball brides, Tel-Aviv based designer Chana Marelus is our gift-of-inspiration to you. Part princess, part badass, a Chana Marelus gown is all about the contemporary woman who wants to play the ultimate part on her Big Day. Now we’re not going to say she can do this on a budget (unless her wedding dress budget is €7K), but we are saying she can stall the wedding for a couple of years until something second hand comes available, perhaps?
Alon Livne
Former Project Runway winner Alon Livne made quite the splash worldwide when he launched his debut collection of bold, futuristic, gravity-defying occasionwear back in 2013. Within months he became a go-to designer for mega-divas Beyonce and Lady Gaga and in 2014 broke into bridal with a range of ultra glam and ultra innovative wedding gowns. Luxurious, form-fitting designs are the focal point of Alon Livne’s collections, are guaranteed to wow and be beyond a joy to wear.
Lee Petra Grebenau
Glamour, and lots of it is the order of the day at one of Israel’s most exciting design houses; Lee Petra Grebenau. Plunging necklines, elegant long sleeves, stunning mermaid silhouettes and more sparkle than you could shake a Swarovski crystal at make up the main features of an ultra-luxe Lee gown, and we’re simply full of the swoons of May for each one (is that a phrase? It definitely should be a phrase…) Using the finest French laces and finished with meticulous tailorship, these gowns are simply a work of art.
Liz Martinez
And finally to a couturier who set our hearts completely aflutter last year, Liz Martinez is a young French-Israeli bridal designer who went from dressmaking in the corner of a room in her mother’s apartment outside of Tel Aviv to completely shaking up the world of weddings in just a couple of years. She has been referred to as the ‘Cinderella’ of Israeli bridal designers, and is admired for her passion and politics (as a vocal supporter of young girls and women) as well as her superior craftsmanship and innovative designs. We’re beyond obsessed with Liz’s fresh bridal designs here at weddingsonline – in fact she may just be our international designer of the year?!
