Lilamist designer and creator Ben was born and raised in the city of Jerusalem. Although Jerusalem in the early 1990's wasn’t a very safe place, he never felt like he was in danger. The intense atmosphere of conflict raised his sense of fantasy as a kid. His attention to detail started to infiltrate his view of life and the beauty in it. He believes that living in a tense environment makes us all more aware of what is around us.
Ben has always been a designer in his own way. As a little boy he was always curious about visuals and fashion. The clothing and the way it accentuates the person’s character fascinated him. When they were little, he dressed his younger sister, draping her with their mom’s dresses when no one was around. It was something that came very naturally to him. He was always passionate about playing dress up.
Q: What made you decide to be a fashion designer?
A: I think it was clear to me that I was going to be involved in fashion around the age of sixteen. I was a dancer for the majority of my childhood. At the time I was convinced I was going to grow up to be the new Mikhail Baryshnikov, but secretly what I really wanted was to dress everyone up. When I became older, I realized that just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you have to do it. At that point, I took my fantasy into my own hands and decided to quit dancing and focus on getting into fashion design school…which I did.
Q: Can you tell us about Lilamist and your other projects?
A: Lilamist has been a fashion label for about eight years. Last year I was offered the house head designer position and I’ve been there ever since. Lilamist is a commercial and youthful brand that has been growing rapidly ever since I joined, and I am there growing with the brand. It is my more commercial side that is coming out there. I am learning the industry and the dynamics of the business from the inside. It is a fascinating journey for me.
While that is my main occupation, I am also working on my own separate projects. I have a huge passion for productions, editorials, styling, video clips and working for the stage with different artists and creators. Working on the visual concepts is one of my biggest passions and I am constantly working on something in that field.
Q: Can you tell us more about the clothing and concept behind the photo shoot for Welum?
A: The photo shoot is a campaign we did for the first collection I made for Lilamist last summer with the brilliant photographer Duddy Dayan. He is a very dear friend of mine and a creative soul. The concept was ‘Gone wild, crying’ in Lilamist.
Q: What is your favorite part about being a fashion designer?
A: I love to have a reason to keep observing the now— this moment we are in and what I can see that can be translated into a visual design. There is the need to keep giving new options to the public to give them the best and most practical clothes that they can identify with. It’s all for the human connection. Basically I do what I do because I want to be a part of the sub-culture in a way, and this is my way.
Q: What is your inspiration?
A: My life is my inspiration. My friends are my true inspiration—the beautiful women that surround me, my home, the music in the nightclub, the light at 3am in the morning when I go back home from a hangout. Art inspires me. Movies inspire me. Science inspires me. Spirituality and knowledge of the new inspires me. I draw inspiration from everything.
Q: What are your hopes for the future? Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully I’ll be in a continued line of what I am doing now, only bigger and better, knowing more, creating more and loving more.
