One of the things that first struck
me about the Museum when I began working here in Fall 2010, was the
part of the exhibition on the 3rd floor focusing on the
Jewish role in and contributions to the garment industry. It explains
that Jews have had strong ties to the garment industry since the 1800s,
and that that relationship continues with the many Jews in the fashion
industry today. My grandfather once ran a factory in Brooklyn
manufacturing clothes; this part of the exhi
bition is one of the key areas truly telling my story.
As a fashion-conscious person, I
knew that many of the people whose names and brands we often hear about
such as Levi Strauss, Donna Karen, and Calvin Klein are all Jewish. Yet I
am still surprised to learn that many of my favorite designers, such
as, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs and Zac Posen, to name a few, are
also Jewish. Even many of the stores I’ve shopped in throughout my life
like Banana Republic and The Gap were founded by Jews. That
feeling that Jews are ubiquitous in the fashion industry became
apparent when Michael Kors (who I had a sneaking suspicion was a member
of the tribe) used the Yiddish word ungapatchka on an episode of Project Runway. Not your garden variety Yiddish, this was a word I had only heard from my mother and grandmother previously.
Around the same time that I noticed
all these fashion heavyweights were Jewish, I also noticed something
unique in my line of work. In the arts, I think people dress differently
than they do in many other professions. For instance, no one has ever
asked me to take out my nose ring; I have actually received a few compliments on it.
Our office is vibrant with
color and self-expression in a way that complements who we are and what
we have chosen to do for a living. After reading an article from The Wall Street Journal
in which the author highlighted the way the staff dressed at a chic New
York auction house, I thought we should highlight some of the
well-dressed employees of the Museum. Of course, as a Jewish history
museum, we put our own twist on the concept presented by the article:
the clothes we are wearing in these pictures are made by talented Jewish
designers or by their companies. So next time you head over to visit us
on Independence Mall, see if we highlight someone who designed
something you are wearing!
The article reference was written by Robin Kawakami 8/15/12
-Contributed by, Rebecca Kass
Group Sales Associate