Designer Discovery: Maya Bash

all photos by David Meskhi [courtesy of Maya Bash]

A new city means a whole slew of new designers to discover, and Tel Aviv's Maya Bash caught my eye with her slouchy silhouettes and neutral color palettes. Bash represents an Israeli design aesthetic that's impossible not to recognize whilst browsing Tel Aviv's boutiques, one that's far more Northern European than American (think Ann Demeulemeester) and a refreshing change from what I'm used to.

Since launching her label in 2005, some of Bash's most interesting projects have come in the form of collaborations with multidisciplinary artists, including a short film with director Max Lomberg and an illustrated catalog with painter Anna Lukashevsky.

The project seen here comes courtesy of German photographer David Meskhi, who interpreted Bash's Autumn/Winter 2010/11 collection with images of Georgian gymnasts.

Bash found inspiration for the collection in the unlikely form of baby clothing, pulling in elements that she blew up to adult size to represent the idea of an adult who refuses to grow up. Meskhi turned that concept on its head with his photographs, featuring 16-year-old gymnasts who are essentially children living as adults thanks to their sport.

You can see Maya Bash's recent designs and shop the store here, or visit the flagship at 13 Barzilay Street, Tel Aviv.