Doing Israel Diplomacy With Fashion
Many efforts and funds have been invested into trying to explain Israel to the world. Israel’s complex history and society demands a deep dive in order to understand our society. Having managed the external relations for Tel Aviv Fashion Week from 2012 – 2019, I brought hundreds of journalists from the most reputable fashion magazines to Israel, celebrities and other fashion personalities I succeeded in turning these first-timers into ambassadors for Israel. I continued this work by producing shows with Israeli designers in various parts of the world, in many of which people had never met Israelis or even Jews before, such as Vietnam. Macedonia or Serbia. Each time we came with zero expectations and returned with new friends and fans of Israel.
The Wearable History of Israel
The goal of Israel’s founding fathers and mothers was to create and a “New Jew”, one that distinguished himself from the Jews in Europe, the “Old World”. This ideology very quickly reflected in the way people dressed and until today the diversity of many Israelis and their backgrounds are reflected in the way they dress. The Jewish Dress Code is the most gripping way to tell the story of Israel.
Circular City – the Smart City of Tomorrow
We can’t imagine our lives without technology. It’s a helper, but also an influencer. The “smarter” our cities, the easier it is to consume everything it offers, but the flipside is that it can also lead to overconsumption. The Smart City of today needs to become the Circular City of Tomorrow. This new model will create partnerships between citizens and authorities and make the city circular as old products will be upcycled into new ones. All this will be made possible through local Microfactories that will use technology to install Circular Economy. We will explore the Circular City through our urban Re-Born pilot for circular textiles.
Viktoria Kanar
Lecturer, moderator & producer
Israel
English, German, Russian, French, Spanish, Hebrew
Viktoria is an experienced public relations and fashion entrepreneur and the founder of GeekChicTLV, an agency that specializes in innovative culture and fashion productions in Israel and abroad. Her reputable client list includes LVMH, Tel Aviv Municipality, Gindi Investments, Tel Aviv Fashion Week, Shenkar and The Strauss Group. Viktoria co-funded and manages several communities for fashion innovation and sustainability entrepreneurs in Israel with over 3000 members.
In 2019 Viktoria co-founded Re-Fresh Global, the Israeli Center for Circular Economy in Textiles. Viktoria received her BA in Communications Management from Design Academy Berlin and her MA in interdisciplinary Democracy Studies from Open University in Israel.