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The Jewish Chronicle

Israel's master of the minimal

Leading Israeli designer Ronen Chen held the official opening for his first London shop. We took a look inside.

November 26, 2009 11:27
Purple draped dress, £120

ByJan Shure, Jan Shure

2 min read

In Israel he is the doyen of graphic shapes, monochrome and drape, with 12 minimalist shops from Rehovot to Haifa, via Tel Aviv (two), Jerusalem (two), Ranaana and Herzliya.

Last Thursday he formally inaugurated his first London shop in New Quebec Street with a bash for a coterie of fashion and media chums; high-flying Israeli ex-pats; and a handful of celebs, including Kristina Rihanoff from Strictly Come Dancing, Avshalom Gur, former head of design at Ossie Clark and Israel’s high-octane celebrity model Hofit Golan.

Inside the compact London shop, just a few minutes’ walk from Oxford Street, his autumn collection nestles within a striking grey interior, dotted with big mirrors. It comprises soft knits, neatly cut little tops, shawl-collar jackets, draped, mini and tulip skirts of various lengths, and a handful of wearable after-six frocks, all done in monochromes spiked with occasional splashes of colour, and is rapidly finding a following among a fashion savvy London clientele who appreciate his wearability, low price points and clever incentives.

“It is the realisation of a dream to have a shop in London,” says Chen, in buoyant mood when we meet at the shop. A graduate of Israel’s talent hothouse, Shenkar College (alumni include Lanvin design director Alber Elbaz), Chen worked for a year following graduation with Israel’s then number-one couturier Gideon Oberson — who is known in the UK for his swimwear, although in Israel he is famed for couture evening and daywear — and then for a mass-market line he declines to name.