The graduation collections of Bezalel, the Israeli Academy of Arts and Design, have presented different, unapologetic new menswear.
The collections delved into the personal world of the graduates. They included a wide variety of cultural and social issues such as gender identity, sustainability, technology, body image, self-expression, protest, and more. Besides those issues, this year it felt like the collections were all about the “menswear awakening”, which received expression through incredible, highly conceptual, and avant-garde looks.
Even though most collections featured womenswear, it seemed like the graduates succeeded in stretching a common and consistent line among their collections, thanks to the menswear outfits. The graduates created numerous references for the “new man” types – from young office men to edgy guys with queer elements.
The graduates Abed Elkader, Adi Merires, Nitzan Rockah, Noa Azarzar, Perla Sibani, and Or Ben Simon did it intriguingly. These students, finishing four years of study, came from different backgrounds, designed different collections, and used different materials, colors, and shapes. But together, they created fascinating characters of untypical modern men.
If we consider the cultural and social aspects, which in the last few years have provided us with more types of masculinity, it’s more than acceptable that the fashion industry will be the first to react. The “Old money” trend gives menswear some space, but mainly for those who like tailored fashion. In fact, this trend is not for every kind of masculinity and even brings back with it outdated masculinity.
It seems that Bezalel’s graduates have created garments to fit these exact times, which could be used as an alternative to the “Old money” fashion. Beyond this, the Bezalel collections are also part of a more significant phenomenon pointing to the willingness of men to fully express themselves through fashion, to dress and to buy differently.
Check out our favorite looks below:
Photos by Guy Rashkovan
