The reason? A dramatic, sexy, and elegant dress designed by Israeli fashion house Galia Lahav which made a big splash in Hollywood.

Sweeney chose a design that highlights Galia Lahav's recognizable signature – precise tailoring, rich fabrics, and an unapologetic presence. The choice of an Israeli designer for such a high-profile evening proves once again that Israeli designers are playing in the big leagues.

Behind the international success stands an inspiring story. Galia Lahav began her journey by studying at the Teachers' Seminary for Handicrafts and Art in Givatayim, Israel. She worked as an art teacher at an elementary school in Ashdod, and, in 1985, opened a small fashion design studio in the city, specializing in wedding dresses and unique lace. From the local studio, the path led to Dizengoff in Tel Aviv, and later to a four-story building on Herzl Street.

Today, Galia Lahav's fashion house is a global name with stores in Tel Aviv, Los Angeles and Hamburg, and about 70 points of sale worldwide. In 2016, another historic moment was recorded when the house was accepted into the French Federation of Haute Couture, becoming the first Israeli fashion house to achieve this prestigious accomplishment.

Sydney Sweeney's choice for a high-profile Hollywood event is not just a personal compliment to the designer, but a clear fashion statement – Israeli haute couture, and in the front row of the red carpet.

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The list includes fashion stars who deliver memorable fashion moments, such as Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, Jacob Elordi, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, and others.

"We compiled an unranked list of around 50 extremely fashionable characters from 2025, rounding up actors, models, musicians, politicians, dancers, gallerists, and more who dressed in ways that made us take notice," the magazine opened. "Our criteria were subjective, our judges all Vogue editors, and the list took shape through many meetings and debates," Vogue wrote.

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"We drew in red carpet risk-takers and street style peacocks, but also an accessories-forward politician and a stylish ballerina about town. When we found that we couldn't stop at just 50, we settled on an unranked 55," the magazine wrote.

Surprisingly, alongside the well-known style-filled celebrities, models, and fashion icons everyone knows, Vogue added people we wouldn't think of in the context of fashion, such as Pope Leo XIV and Rama  Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Michelle Obama also starred on the list.

Anna Wintour, former editor-in-chief of American Vogue and global content director of the Condé Nast group (the corporation that owns Vogue), often mixes politics, which apparently led to her selection as New York's first lady.

Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist, wore a jacquard shirt by Palestinian-Jordanian designer Zeid Hijazi on the most recent election night, which Vogue magazine called New York's first lady's best outfit of the year. This fact highlights Dawaji's political support for Palestinians, mirroring her husband's stance.

Another interesting entry that surprised us was Pope Leo XIV, whom the magazine defined as "breaking with the humble tastes of his predecessor, Pope Francis—but keeping his tailor and maintaining the papal legacy for fine-fitting liturgical vestments." The pope even entered The New York Times' best-dressed list.

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Ayoub wore an oriental-inspired look, including a white tank top and white pants adorned with brown and white embellishments. Over this outfit, she wore a white robe with a long train featuring paintings of the Dome of the Rock and Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, alongside olive branches.

As a reminder, Ayoub has received considerable criticism for living in luxury towers in Dubai while representing the Palestinians, and it has now been revealed that the designer she chose is actually an Emirati designer named Navin al-Qadi, based in Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, Miss Israel Melanie Shiraz wore a yellow dress to recall the fallen hostages still held in Hamas captivity and the survivors of captivity who were held for two years. A Star of David appeared on her chest area, and red flowers were visible at the bottom of the dress as a tribute to the red anemones in the south. The dress was maxi-length and featured a scarf and a head covering.

The national costume segment takes place every year as part of the Miss Universe competition, during which representatives of different countries take the stage wearing clothing items inspired by their local traditions. This year, the segment became more explosive.

Social media reactions came quickly. "It's not enough that she represents a country that doesn't exist, she has no connection to this country and the symbols she's wearing," one social media user wrote. "That's Jerusalem anyway, it shouldn't appear on their national costume. Simply an infuriating look," another user wrote.

A reminder that Transportation Minister Miri Regev also wore a dress featuring the Dome of the Rock in the past, at the Cannes Film Festival opening during her tenure as culture minister. The dress was designed by Aviad Arik Herman.

This isn't the first time Miss Palestine Nadine Ayoub has sparked controversy since being chosen to represent the Palestinians at the world's biggest beauty pageant. Last month, Ayoub published a series of posts about the war on social media, with one of them inflating the number of Palestinian casualties and another presenting Kfir and Ariel Bibas, the Israeli children murdered in Hamas captivity, as Palestinian victims of the war.

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No longer limited to parallel imports, SKIMS announced Tuesday its entry into the Israeli market through an exclusive partnership with Ironi Group, the premium and luxury fashion group that owns Factory 54.

Israel Hayom learned that standalone stores will also open at Ramat Aviv Mall and Big Fashion Glilot in several months. The first phase, launching alongside the website, will feature shop-in-shop formats within Factory 54 stores. Future plans include opening many more standalone stores, driven by the brand's high global popularity and strong demand from Israeli consumers.

The partnership represents another significant step in SKIMS' global expansion, allowing Israeli consumers to access the brand's innovative shapewear collections, loungewear, and bodysuits for the first time.

Starting November 10, SKIMS will launch for the first time in Israel on the Factory 54 website and expand during December to selected Factory 54 stores in a shop-in-shop format. Through the partnership, Israeli consumers will be exposed to the wide range of SKIMS' iconic and best-selling collections, alongside seasonal launches in limited editions.

The partnership reflects a long-term vision to create a significant commercial and community presence in Israel, providing consumers with an international-level shopping experience that embodies SKIMS' brand values of innovation and comfort.

Until now, brand enthusiasts could purchase items through the international website that ships to Israel or order through Terminal X's parallel import service. Now, as noted, the brand is making an official entry into Israel. Regarding pricing policy, the price differences compared to the United States remain unknown.

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The fashion show, in collaboration with Roladin, began with a separate show featuring looks from various designers alongside hats by hat designer Maor Tzabar, inspired by Roladin's donuts. On this part of the runway, Dian Schwartz appeared in a fantastic wedding dress by designer Liel Yamin, alongside other impressive models wearing unique hats and pieces by Israeli fashion designers.

The Upcoming Designers show featured five designers. During the show, talented designers Yuval Alroey, Klil Dekel, Alma Spiegler, and Omer Michael also presented, each showcasing a distinct collection.

Alroey presented prints closely associated with her brand Outre, expressing the unique style of the promising designer who graduated from Shenkar. In the Outre section, Ariela Wertheimer also walked, wearing a two-piece tailored suit with a unique embroidered print on the left side of the jacket.

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Andic, a Turkish-born businessman of Sephardic Jewish descent, died on December 14, 2024, during a visit to the Montserrat mountain range near Barcelona. The 71-year-old was on a hike with his eldest son, Jonathan, when he reportedly fell into a ravine. Authorities initially classified the incident as a tragic accident, with no witnesses or visible signs of violence at the scene. A month later, the case was temporarily closed.

However, inconsistencies in Jonathan Andic's account of the events led to the case being reopened in March 2025. Catalonia's Supreme Court confirmed that police were re-examining the circumstances, after forensic reports and new information cast doubt on the original narrative. Jonathan's status in the case was changed from witness to suspect.

Investigators from the Catalonia police force analyzed data from Jonathan's mobile phone, including photos, communications, and geolocation records. These were compared with the physical evidence collected at the scene in Montserrat, revealing discrepancies with his testimony. Spanish media reported that he claimed to have been walking ahead of his father, heard rocks falling, and then turned around to find him gone, a version that police say doesn't align with what was found on-site.

Jonathan was questioned for over three hours, and later summoned for further testimony. According to reports, the contradictions in his statements were key to the shift in the investigation's direction. Police also considered the nature of the father-son relationship as part of their inquiry. Andic's partner, Stephanie Knott, reportedly told investigators that the relationship between Isak and Jonathan was strained, describing it as tense.

In a statement released on behalf of the Andic family, relatives declined to comment on the case but expressed their full cooperation with authorities. "The Andic family has not responded and will not respond regarding the death of Isak Andic. However, they wish to express their respect for the legal proceedings and will continue to collaborate fully with the competent authorities, as they have until now. The family is confident this process will conclude as quickly as possible and that Jonathan will be proven innocent."

Andic founded Mango in 1984 in Barcelona, together with businessman Enric Cusi and his brother, and built it into one of the world's largest fashion retailers, with nearly 3,000 stores in 120 countries and a workforce of 16,400. At the time of his death, his fortune was estimated at $4.5 billion, making him Spain's fifth-richest businessman, according to Le Figaro.

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This marks the second consecutive year an Israeli model has walked in the prestigious show. Last year, Sun Mizrahi made history as the first Israeli model to walk the iconic runway.

Halfon, 22, who is represented by ITM modeling agency, was recently selected to photograph a campaign for "Kylie Cosmetics" – chosen from 100 candidates worldwide.

In an interview with Israel Hayom in January 2025, she revealed that despite being from Israel, she receives mostly positive reactions. "People mainly want to know what it's like to live in a place where there's war," she said.

During the show, the energy was complemented by live performances from Madison Beer, Cardi B, Korean group TWICE, and Missy Elliott. All of this – in less than an hour.

Model Jasmine Tookes was first to walk, proudly showing her pregnancy belly in a crocheted, sheer dress. For the first time in the brand's history, professional athletes also received wings. WNBA star Angel Reese and Olympic gymnast Suni Lee officially became new "angels."

The Hadid family naturally returned to the runway, with Bella Hadid, sporting new honey-colored hair, taking the runway in the evening's red section – alongside her sister Gigi, who returned exactly a decade after her debut appearance in the show.

The Victoria's Secret show is one of the most-watched stages in the world, and every model dreams of the moment she earns the chance to walk it.

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Ayoub published a series of posts about the Gaza war on social media, which have since been deleted, and was caught lying repeatedly. In one post, Ayoub claimed that the number of casualties in Gaza stands at 680,000 – ten times the unverified figures cited by the Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas.

In another post, she claimed that significant Israeli sites – including Masada and the Western Wall – are located in Palestinian territories. The controversy reached its height when Ayoub shared videos of Israeli children, including Noya Dan, Kfir Bibas, and Ariel Bibas, who were murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7, and were presented as Palestinians.

In Ayoub's post, which has since been deleted, she wrote that these children are innocent and their only "crime was that they were in Palestine", without any mention that these were actually Israeli children murdered by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

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Ayoub's false messages prompted Miss Israel, Melanie Shiraz, to respond forcefully to her posts in a separate video on social media. "She presented them in a way that implied they were Palestinian victims. Let me be absolutely clear – these children were Israeli. They were born in Israel, they lived in Israel, and they were murdered because they were Israeli. The land they came from is not called Palestine. Presenting them otherwise is a deliberate distortion designed to erase their true identity."

"To take these innocent Israeli children – murdered in their homes or in captivity – and to present them as though they were Palestinian casualties is not an act of compassion," she emphasized, adding that Ayoub spreads lies so easily refuted that they undermine her credibility.

Ayoub will represent the Palestinian territories at the Miss Universe 2025 contest to be held on November 21 in Pak Kret, Thailand – an event that will mark the first Palestinian participation since the contest's founding, where she will also meet Miss Israel Melanie Shiraz – an encounter that could be particularly explosive and it seems the real drama is still ahead.

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Over his lifetime, Armani built the fashion house that bears his name, which came to embody the essence of modern, elegant Italian style. Blending his unique design talent with sharp business acumen, he created a global company with annual revenues of about €2.3 billion ($2.5 billion).

Armani had been ill for some time and was forced to skip his company's menswear show at Milan Fashion Week in June, the first time in his career that he missed one of his runway events.

Armani was known for overseeing every detail of his collections and every aspect of his business, from advertising campaigns to the hairstyles of models before they stepped onto the runway. The company said a public memorial hall will be open in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, followed by a private funeral at a later date that has not yet been disclosed.

In a particularly poignant turn of events, Armani died in the very year when his brand was more successful and thriving than ever. Just six weeks ago, the Italian fashion house bearing his name announced a new exhibition marking the designer's 50 years in the industry. This year also marked the 20th anniversary of Armani Privé, his first haute couture collection, celebrated with another exhibition at his permanent museum in Milan.

Armani's unwavering pursuit of an aesthetic ideal made him the wealthiest fashion designer in the world, and the sole owner of what for many years was Italy's most successful fashion house, in an industry dominated by corporate giants.

His understated and refined tailoring was widely recognized for redefining the professional wardrobe for both men and women in the 1980s. His early embrace by Hollywood catapulted him to fame in the US long before red carpet exposure became a mandatory part of the industry.

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The dress Bracha designed in the kibbutz sewing workshop, which she managed with love and dedication, was originally created for her daughter Shay Shimoni Levinson, who wore it on her wedding day. The same dress was supposed to be passed on to her granddaughter, Hagar, who dreamed of wearing it on her own wedding day.

Despite the unimaginable pain and tragic story, Hagar decided to try to fulfill her dream of wearing the wedding dress that burned on October 7, and turned to her good childhood friend, fashion designer Shay Greenberg, to recreate the wedding dress that her grandmother Bracha had designed.

Greenberg, a fashion designer who just finished her studies in the Fashion Design Department at Shenkar, told Israel Hayom about the fascinating recreation process. "Recreating the wedding dress was done through photos of Shay's wedding, Hagar's mother. Photos were the only thing that remained from the wedding dress.

"The first stage in making the dress was taking Hagar's measurements and preparing a pattern according to them. This is a relatively simple dress, so it was important to ensure every line was in place. I sewed the upper part twice, once as a toile, a sewn sketch, and once more for the actual upper part of the dress."

Greenberg noted that the challenge within the recreation process was deciding whether to recreate the original dress exactly or make slight changes to make the dress more modern and clean. "When we chose the fabric, for example, we chose it knowing it was a more expensive and higher-quality fabric, compared to kibbutz fabrics from the 2000s. The bridal industry has developed greatly, and with it the fabrics."

Greenberg also shared the difficulties that arose in the process. "The main difficulty in recreating the dress was the belt - we had deliberations about whether to recreate it exactly, because we felt we couldn't find the exact materials. We decided to reference it and make a belt with beads in flower shapes, but without the flowers themselves," she shared.

"We had a feeling we might want to change things, so I prepared an additional belt for extra security. When the bride's mother saw it, she wanted an additional belt matching the one her mother, Bracha, had designed. I provided her with all the necessary materials and the base of the belt, and she sewed the flowers and beads. I was very moved that she did it because I think that's the most meaningful part. Just as her mother sewed her wedding dress for her, she took part in the preparation and work on Gori's dress."

Discussing the recreation process emotionally and sentimentally, Greenberg shared, "They're like family to me. I grew up with them. The wedding dress is something I could do for the family after everything they went through. Obviously, it's important to give a hug and support, but that's not something tangible or physical. This was very moving for me."

Greenberg's graduation project in the Fashion Design Department at Shenkar, which was presented just a month ago in a dedicated fashion show of department graduates, deals precisely with this topic and examines the complex relationship between women and wedding dresses.

"I started working on recreating the dress parallel to the graduation project. I found myself moving between two worlds: on one hand, critical engagement that challenges the institution of weddings as it exists today, and on the other hand, personal and deep creation of a wedding dress," Greenberg shared.

"Hagar's choice to recreate the dress that her grandmother sewed for her mother is, in my eyes, the beauty of the bridal world. Alongside the criticism I have toward this industry, I also have enormous appreciation for the wedding dress and the power it embodies. It can be a symbol of love, family, tradition, and connection between generations. The choice to return to the original dress that Bracha Levinson sewed is a meaningful choice. This is Gori's way of commemorating her grandmother."

This complex but beautiful and moving recreation project indeed raises several questions about commemoration, heritage, and family tradition. "I believe commemoration and memory are an inseparable part of the fashion world. Sometimes it's expressed in a complete dress and sometimes in a small detail, even a button. The expression 'move on' is problematic in my view, especially for families who have lost their loved ones. A person's memory continues to live forever, and you never really can move on. But you can create new positive memories around the person who is no longer here, and maybe even find some healing in that."

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