HED MAYNER

When did you decide to become a fashion designer? Hed Mayner: “When I moved to Paris to study at the Institut Français de la Mode.” What is your brand’s DNA? “It’s about playing with proportions and vulnerability, combining poor techniques with traditional elements of menswear.” What are your signature pieces? “Male wardrobe staples that look familiar on the rack, but feel different when you’re wearing them.” Sources of inspiration? “I like collecting clothes and learning from their construction to play with the proportions.” Where do you produce? “So far, the collections have all been made in Israel, in Jerusalem, because it’s a sound idea for a brand to produce locally. But since the orders have grown I’m considering moving the production to Turkey.” Where is your brand distributed? “In Japan, New York, Canada and Germany.” Awards and other acknowledgements? “In July 2015 I won a scholarship called Pais which consists of a monetary prize.” What are the main challenges for emerging Israeli designers today? “Creating their own statement. In Israel, you have nothing to lean on or continue from.” What advice would you give to young designers? “You have to be able to do a variety of things together: it’s not just about making clothes, but about handling different things.”

SHOPS: Cement (Tokyo - Japan), Neighbour (Vancouver - Canada), The New World Order (New York - USA)