Two prominent Israeli designers have postponed their Bridal Fashion Week shows after Palestinian militant group Hamas, designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, launched a devastating surprise attack in southern Israel on Saturday that killed more than 1,000 civilians.
Pnina Tornai and Galia Lahav both announced that they will not be showing their collections at this week’s bridal industry event in New York City as they stand in solidarity with their country.
In a message revealing her decision to postpone her couture show, scheduled for Thursday, Tornai, 60, shared some personal reflections about the attacks in her homeland and how the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has been heartbreaking to witness.
“My country, my people, my family and my friends are under attack. Hamas terrorists have murdered hundreds of Israelis in cold blood, including women and children in their homes and teenagers at a peace festival. Innocent civilians — women, children and elderly — are being held as hostages in Gaza,” she wrote, calling the situation “heartbreaking and incomprehensible.”
Tornai, whose designs are bestsellers at beloved bridal boutique Kleinfeld in New York City, went on to explain what inspired the theme of her latest collection — “Utopia” — and how she could have never foreseen how deeply it would resonate.
“Just a few weeks ago, I decided to call this collection ‘Utopia’ because my heart hurt from the suffering, division and hatred I saw in the world, and I wanted these works of art to represent my hope for a better world in which we all love and care for one another,” she continued. “I could not have imagined how fitting that would be.”
The designer vowed to present her dress designs at a future date to send a defiant message that she “will not let terror win.”
“I do what I do to bring beauty and love to the world, and that is more important now than ever,” Tornai concluded her message.
In a similar move, Lahav — whose designs have been worn by celebrities including Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Paris Hilton — announced via email that she and her team made the difficult decision to cancel their Thursday press preview “due to the ongoing and deeply distressing situation in our home country.”
“Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts are with all those affected by this devastating conflict,” the message continued. “We hope for a future where we can come together to celebrate the beauty and creativity that define our brand.”
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The designer also pinned a lengthy statement regarding the escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip on her brand’s Instagram page. Lahav recounted her father’s history as a Holocaust survivor in the Soviet Union who lost his children, his first wife and his sister while fighting against the Nazis in World War II. She shared how her father’s efforts to smuggle Jews to Israel from the Soviet Union after the war resulted in him being imprisoned for nine years.
“After his release, we moved to Israel with the assurance that the Holocaust would not happen again. The world had promised us,” she wrote, before reflecting on how Israel has flourished since then and that people of all religions have “lived in peace and friendship” there.
“Over the years, we have faced wars with the surrounding countries, but despite everything, we’ve learned to make peace agreements and work towards a better future,” Lahav continued. “Terrorist organizations have begun to establish themselves on our northern border and in Gaza. They are no different from ISIS; They aim to destroy everything we have built.”
She closed her message with a plea to her followers, “You promised that the Holocaust would not be repeated, so please SUPPORT ISRAEL.”
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Tornai also addressed the Hamas attacks on Instagram after waking up to the news on Saturday morning. “I was sure I was caught in a bad dream and that I would soon wake up, but the reality is that my country and my people are under brutal attack,” she wrote. “A war is supposed to happen between armies, not against innocent civilians. This is not a war, this is pure terrorism.”
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She concluded by asking people to stand together against the “evil” that divides us. “I am calling for all the good people — and there are so many, I know them and have met them all around the world — to hold hands and pray for better days.”
On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden delivered remarks condemning Hamas’ attack, which he called “a sheer act of evil” and “terrorism.”
Biden, 80, also reaffirmed his support for Israel. “In this moment, we must be crystal clear: We stand with Israel. We stand with Israel. And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself, and respond to this attack,” he said.
