University of Haifa stages first on-campus graduate fashion show

The University of Haifa's School of Design has held its first graduate fashion show on the university's main campus, marking a milestone for its fashion programme as 25 final-year students presented collections developed over four years of study.

The show featured projects exploring themes including identity, memory, migration, family history and cultural heritage. According to the university, many collections reflected personal experiences shaped by contemporary social realities, with designers drawing inspiration from subjects such as wartime correspondence, family narratives, dementia, immigration and religious traditions.

Alongside these personal narratives, students incorporated a range of textile techniques, including embroidery, knitting, fabric development and handcrafted processes, often combined with contemporary technologies.

The University of Haifa describes its Department of Fashion Design as the only fashion design programme in Israel that awards a university degree. Based at the university's German Colony campus, the programme includes international collaborations and study opportunities designed to expose students to a variety of design traditions and creative practices.

Dr. Rachel Getz-Salomon, head of the Department of Fashion Design, said this year's collections reflected the experiences of a generation of designers working in a rapidly changing environment. She noted that many projects explored themes of loss, identity and belonging while demonstrating how fashion can serve as a medium for research, cultural commentary and critical inquiry.

The School of Design is led by Professor Leah Perez, who previously headed Shenkar's Department of Fashion Design. Perez said that being part of a research university distinguishes the programme from many traditional design schools by allowing students to engage with subjects across multiple academic disciplines, including literature, marine sciences, languages and art history.

According to Perez, the interdisciplinary structure is intended to encourage broader research-based approaches to fashion design. She also highlighted the school's emphasis on collaboration among students from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds and its partnerships with museums, the City of Haifa and other local organisations that provide opportunities to exhibit student work.

For fashion educators, the graduate show illustrates how fashion programmes are increasingly positioning design within wider academic and research contexts. The integration of interdisciplinary study, international collaboration and socially engaged design reflects broader trends in fashion education, where technical skills are being developed alongside critical research and cultural inquiry.