Locally Made Story
Meet Ilan, the owner of O.Opel, and the man behind our clothing production.
Ilan has a 30-year background in the Israeli fashion industry, and for the past 20 years, he has been running his own business, providing services to Israeli designers. Ilan's factory is located in Dalyat el-Carmel, where fabrics are stored, development and design work is carried out, and the finished products are distributed to various seamstresses (approximately 6 in number), both within and beyond Israel's borders, outside the Green Line. Ilan provides employment for women, men, and families, and we receive high-quality, meticulously crafted, beautiful garments in return.
Ilan has three daughters, a granddaughter, and another one on the way. We have been working together for about 14 years.
I joined Ilan after two seasons of angeli, during which I found myself schlepping rolls of fabric in the ninth month of pregnancy, from the cutter in Nahf to the seamstress in Beit Jan. It was an exciting time of a new beginning (and of youthful enthusiasm) in which I wanted, naively, to be present in all the processes.
I've always loved industry, technology, and machinery. I loved the transition from the initial, unique, and manual development stage to the production line.
When I finished this project, it was a wonder for me, and every time I discovered technological advancements, I was rejuvenated. Since then, the world has progressed, but manual operations have remained an integral part of clothing production, so it was difficult for me not to be personally involved in the clothing production process.
There were days when I traveled many kilometers to choose thread colors for stitching, to solve problems in the field, to approve samples, just like working on an initial model. My acquaintance with Ilan allowed me to free up some of my time and focus on developing new things, while Ilan and Alice, our right hand, checked all those details that are important to me in the clothes. For those not in the field: today, most of the fashion industry operates by sending a draft of a model to some agency in the world, after two weeks, they receive an approved model, send an order, and thousands of clothes arrive to us from across the sea.
In the days towards the end of the pandemic, discussions about local businesses and the consumer's ability to play a significant role in the recovery of the local economy have become especially meaningful. It seems that today there is an open door to listening and understanding the processes and their implications. Our work process is a part of a cycle in which, all along the way, there are people, especially women, contributing their skills. From the development stage in the studio to the production of the initial model, manufacturing, cutting, sewing, ironing, packaging, and shipping to the warehouse - a cycle of skilled hands, all united with the goal of living with self-worth, aspiring to create the very best, and, of course, earning a living with dignity.
The textile and fashion industry in Israel was once a thriving sector that included factories, seamstresses, and businesses of all sizes. Those who achieved success in the fashion industry brought national honor, provided a basis for income, and contributed to the economic stimulation of entire regions. They were also a part of the local culture. I'm cautious about expressing a desire for industry innovation that is nearly non-existent today, but perhaps I'll start with a wish to preserve the remaining places.