Heroines

A fundamental question echoes across the exhibition’s multiple spaces: What is the role of fashion when darkness descends upon the world? The garments and fashion accessories on display encapsulate personal stories of inner fortitude, survival against all odds, and the brave choice to maintain a semblance of humanity. All these stories are centered on a common element: fashion’s unique, life-giving force, its secret charm, and enduring allure. The exhibition allows us to engage with these stories through the lens of time, and find inspiration, vision, and faith in the human spirit. Alongside these personal tales, fashion is revealed as a course of action that strengthens national morale and nurtures a sense of belonging, emboldening citizens on the home front and soldiers on the front lines, and carrying messages of love and belief in a brighter tomorrow.

The exhibition’s story begins with the Prague couture scene in the prewar years. It moves through personal survival stories on European soil, travels to the American and British home fronts, and concludes in Israel. Fashion emerges as a means to survive the inferno and connect to life beyond the war. In each chapter, the spotlight shines on fashion’s mysterious power to touch the soul, kindle hope, and foster a resolve to cling to life. The exhibits embody the resilience of the human spirit. Authentic objects are displayed alongside unique reconstructions of outfits and fashion items created especially for the exhibition. The latter are based on original illustrations and photographs; every featured item is true to the period’s cuts, techniques, and raw materials.

This is the fourth exhibition conceived by fashion historian and curator Ya’ara Keydar for the Design Museum Holon, following Je t’aime, Ronit Elkabetz (2018), The Ball: Fashion & Escapism (2021), and Alber Elbaz: The Dream Factory (2022). As with her past exhibitions, this one also extends across the entire museum, accompanied by tailored lighting and sound works that transform the visit into a stroll through a parallel historical dimension. The exhibition was created in collaboration with leading cultural institutions in Israel and worldwide.

Heroines is a tribute to the ability of individuals to redeem themselves through imagination, creativity, and indomitable strength. It unveils fashion’s capacity to instill a sliver of optimism and sustain the human spirit, even in the darkest of times. It is an invitation to feel the stories behind the textiles, to draw courage and inspiration from the past, and to place trust in a future yet unwritten.

Details on dates, opening hours, and tickets will be announced shortly.