This story appears in the pages of #VMAN43 our Spring/Summer issue available now for purchase.

AMIT LUZON, DESIGNER Two and a half years ago, my partner and I founded our brand, ADISH, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Our mission was to [represent] all the people of the region—including Palestinians. We wanted to change the status quo of [Israelis and Palestinians] ignoring one another, which we don’t think is any way to live. Our [imagery] [reflects this dialogue], too. We shot our Fall/Winter lookbook in an Israeli village known for Bedouin weaving, [a tradition popular in both Israel and Palestine]. For the Spring/Summer 2020 lookbook, we went to Aqaba, a coastal town in Jordan that is famous for its beautiful Red Sea beaches, and also as an in-between for Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. You might see a Western-looking hotel, or a Bedouin-style tent. We wanted to capture how people there live—this is always really important for us when we are shooting. The street-casting process was interactive and organic: We said, “We are a fashion brand from Israel and Palestine,” and asked if they were willing to [participate]. Everybody’s a little nervous at first, but the Jordanians we met were all really nice, and great with the camera. One even invited us to shoot inside his house. We also met this kid offering horseback rides [on the beach]. He was a rockstar! When he saw our camera, he was like, “Let me show you something…” Then it got crazy!

UPDATE: In light of the global pandemic, we’ve asked our VMAN City Guide subjects to update us on their current situation. Here, Adish co-founder Amit Luzon shares the creative and logistical challenges he’s encountered.

VMAN Where are you now? How are you doing?

AMIT LUZON Currently my partner and I are in Tel Aviv. But our studio is in a different city, 40 minutes away. So we can’t go there. We just took all of the things we need, like my desk… Starting tomorrow, we’re going to start working in eight-hour shifts at a nearby warehouse [instead].

VMAN Your [manufacturing] process involves sourcing materials and techniques from around the region. What’s happened with that?

AL Yeah, that’s a problem now. One of our partners who lives in the West Bank, and who organizes everything with our Palestin[ian suppliers], has been on full lockdown. We have some embroidery items stuck there, too, since nobody can go outside of their house or drive on the streets.

Two weeks ago, a workshop in Gaza we work with also closed. What they do is all hand-woven, so I don’t know if it will be ready in time for our SS21 samples. I hope they will reopen soon, but we’ll see.

VMAN What’s the status of your collaboration with the Gaza supplier now?

AL For FW20, we have a project with them, coming to Dover Street Market. Then we also planned to do something SS21, but we’ll have to see if that’s possible. We may have to [recreate] it in Illustrator or something, because I don’t know when [their workshop] is going to open.

VMAN You shot your SS20 look book in Aqaba, Jordan. Had you been back since then, before the lockdowns?

AL I haven’t, but my partner Eyal Eliyahu had been back to Jordan—to Petra, mainly. We found a supplier at another workshop in Jordan, and wanted to do something with them for SS21, too. But this is not going to happen, because the border is now closed. It’s a special workshop [where] they are doing traditional hand-dying in Jordan, right on the Dead Sea. But yeah, it’s closed now.

We had found a couple workshops we’d wanted to work with, but it’s like the virus stopped [everything]. Everything is on hold. Luckily, Eyal and I are neighbors here in Tel Aviv. So at least we are able to work together without a problem.

Clockwise from left: Amit Luzon (right) and Eyal Eliyahu (left), ADISH co-founders.