top of page
Lecture Catalog
"If I wear beige, no one will know who I am."
Fashion and the Queen of England
Throughout her 90-plus years, Queen Elizabeth II held a clear fashion concept: she is the queen, and therefore needs to stand out. The revered queen succeeded in this regard and managed to dress in a way that not only challenged the conservatism of the kingdom but also transmitted power and strength while guarding the British royal tradition that dates all the way back to the 16th century. In her lecture, fashion historian Ya’ara Keydar will take a look behind the wardrobe of the woman who amazed her admirers - long before Instagramers obsessively analyzed every detail of the clothing of the members of the royal family - from Diana, through Kate Middleton to Meghan Markle.
A Hair-Raising Story: Fashion and Hair
Hair has sparked countless controversies throughout history. It symbolizes power, strength, fashion, and allure but faces rejection and ridicule. Hairstyles shape identity and provide a means for self-expression and adaptation to the changing times. More than any other body part, hair holds a magical power to transform us and bestow a completely new look. In this lecture, Yaara Keydar delves into the controversies and cultural currents that have surrounded hair—from Marie Antoinette's extravagant hairstyles to Andy Warhol's iconic wigs, Martin Margiela's and Alexander McQueen's hair dresses, and Gustave Courbet's provocative painting "The Origin of the World." This journey takes us to the edges of personal expression and the political and cultural upheavals that have shaped how we wear and perceive hair throughout history.
About Life and Death! The Obsession With Black, From Mourning Dresses to the Little Black Dress
How did black, a color historically reserved for the clergy, the monarchy, and mourning, come to epitomize the height of fashion? From mourning attire in the Victorian era, to Coco Chanel, Henry Ford, and Princess Diana, this lecture will follow a surprising, at times amusing journey in the footsteps of the color black, exploring its manifestations of protest, sex, and punk.
Across the Board: Fashion, Chess, and The Queen's Gambit
Following the Netflix series that took the world by storm, "The Queen's Gambit," this lecture follows the surprising and inspiring history that ties chess with fashion, surrealism, and haute couture.
We will discuss everything from 1960s fashion to feminist themes and the hidden secrets of the series's costume design.
Ageless Fashion
Could it be that we are at the beginning of a new era in fashion, where age has no meaning and style has no age? Has the fashion world grown up and stopped worshiping the young? The complicated connections between fashion and puberty have received different expressions throughout history. For instance, Marie Antoinette's silver hair trend is currently making a comeback, while paradoxically, the perpetual pursuit of the fountain of youth marches on. However, in the last decade, there has been a perceptual change made possible through online platforms. Blogs and Instagram accounts broke age conventions and opened the stage for women of all ages. One of the most famous of them is Iris Apple, the 101-year-old fashion icon who made it to the cover of "Harper's Bazaar." The lecture is a cross-generational meeting celebrating every age's beauty and style.
Ahead of the Curve: On the Ideal of Female Beauty, From Rubens to Gautier
The term “Rubenesque,” used to describe a curvy, full-bodied woman, is a direct reference to the female forms lovingly depicted in the work of Peter Paul Rubens. But while his subjects were viewed admiringly in their time, over the centuries, attitudes towards them have changed beyond recognition. This lecture will examine the changing ideals of beauty and female body shapes throughout history, through the eternal mirrors of fashion and art. From Rubens in the 16th century to Jean Paul Gaultier’s beloved muses in the 20th and 21st, we will examine the complex, stormy gaze that society and fashion companies have turned onto the once-exalted Rubenesque woman.
Alber Elbaz: Secrets from the Dream Factory
How does the life story and extraordinary work of a once-in-a-generation designer become an exhibition that has a message for the future of us all?
Ya’ara Keydar, the curator of Alber Elbaz: The Dream Factory, gives an exclusive look behind the scenes of the new exhibition. Together we will embark on a journey through the personal and professional world of Alber Elbaz, the most successful Israeli designer of all time. As we traverse between Morocco, Holon, New York, and Paris, we will get to know his work and rare worldview.
Alexander McQueen: The Prince of Tides
One of the highlights of fashion's return to museums is the exhibition "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty," which was presented in 2011, only a year after the death of designer Alexander McQueen. The exhibition was recorded as one of the most successful exhibitions in the history of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Known as the prodigy of the fashion world, McQueen began his journey at the tailor's table and quickly gained recognition for his innovative and groundbreaking designs. This lecture will take you into the inspired life of the designer who boldly played with the border between fashion and art. His imaginative and provocative creations challenged fashion conventions and ideals of beauty. The legendary exhibit on his life’s work marked the grand finale in fashion's voyage from the runway to the museum.
All about Yves: fashion, art, and Yves Saint Laurent
It is impossible to talk about fashion and art without celebrating the life and work of the one for whom fashion and art were an inseparable entity, the iconic designer of the 20th century - Yves Saint Laurent. Art and artists moved and inspired him to create, and his unique taste made him one of the most important art collectors of his time. We will visit the turbulent life story of someone who started his career at the age of 20 as a chief designer in the house of Dior and later founded one of the largest and most influential fashion houses of his generation. A lecture that is a celebration of fashion and art as only Saint Laurent could draw: from his unforgettable collections, through the inspirations from Western and non-Western art, to the huge exhibition honoring his love of art that opened this year and spanned six museums in Paris.
Balenciaga: The Art of Haute Couture
Cristóbal Balenciaga, an architect of haute couture, was known for his ability to create new silhouettes. He was an avid art collector, and his design vocabulary translated artistic elements into ground-breaking designs. This lecture will explore the intersection of fashion and art through the lens of the Balenciaga fashion house, focusing on an exhibition dedicated to his love of Spanish art. Balenciaga’s spectacular success did not prepare the world for his surprise retirement. Together we will embark on a journey into the history of fashion—from the highly competitive world of French couture to the current incarnation of the brand, led by the influential and controversial designer Demna Gvasalia.
Black & White: From Hip-Hop to 'Black Lives Matter’
When did a black model appear for the first time on the cover of "Vogue"? (hint: not so long ago). Who are the groundbreaking designers who incorporated black models even before the term "ethnic diversity" was coined? It is hard to imagine the fashionable present without black street fashion, hip-hop music, and a series of stars - Rihanna, Kanye West, Beyoncé, Virgil Abloh - who have reached the heart of the mainstream. How did the gates of white fashion culture break open? How have black models and African American designers contributed to the changing ideal of beauty? Welcome to the new black power that challenges the borders and draws a diverse, beautiful, and new horizon.
China: Through the Looking Glass
"Made in China"? Not what you thought. Following the exhibition "China Through the Looking Glass" presented at the Metropolitan Museum in 2015, we will take a journey between East and West. We will examine the influence of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion, the representation of China and the Far East that ignited the Western imagination from the 16th century to Yves Saint Laurent, and the ethical questions that arise from the representation of "ethnicity" in a Western museum. Additionally, we will delve into relevant questions like what does opium have to do with the story of China and the West? What does the color red mean in Chinese culture? And how do dresses reflect the mood in the iconic film "In the Mood for Love"?
Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld: a blind date of titans
Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld never met in real life, but in 1983, when Lagerfeld
succeeded her as head designer at the Chanel fashion house, he breathed new life into the mythology left by Chanel: the little black dress, the pearls, and the famous 2.55 bag, which are still the symbol of French chic.
In a celebratory debut lecture, Ya’ara Keydar will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the House of Chanel; its dark secrets, its history before the arrival of Lagerfeld, its transformation as a result of his legacy, and its future four years after his death. In the lecture, we will have a first and rare glimpse of the huge exhibition dedicated to Lagerfeld that will open in May at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, and of course, of the famous accompanying MET Gala evening.
David Bowie: FASHION!
David Bowie was not only a revolutionary musician, actor, producer, and even occasional painter but also a fashion legend. This lecture reveals the great detail with which he created his unforgettable performances, explores his collaborations with great fashion designers like Kansai Yamamoto and Alexander McQueen, and considers the deep, enduring imprint he has on the work of many to this day.
Dirty Dancing: Fashion, Ballerinas, and Edgar Degas
It is impossible to speak about fashion and impressionism without referring to the ballerinas of Edgar Degas, but behind the image of the graceful dancers lies a dark and painful story. In the lecture, we will follow Degas' famous dancers, who became a source of inspiration for artists and designers, and the fluctuations that dance provoked in the fashion world. While fashion has perpetuated the sculpted body of a dancer as the ideal figure, it is from the delicate and intriguing web of connections between fashion, ballet, and art, that will allow us to explore the ways in which contemporary fashion designers have the ability to liberate us from the idea of the “perfect body” altogether. In a fascinating visual journey, we will investigate the ironies of beauty and pain, ballerina shoes on a stiletto heel, and the designs of Dior, Chanel, and Issey Miyake.
Diva! Out of This World
The journey in search of the diva begins on the opera stages of 16th-century Italy and leads all the way to Elton John and the great performers of the 20th century. Join a thrilling and mesmerising voyage through the wardrobes and dressing rooms of the divas who defined their eras: Maria Callas, Cher, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Céline Dion, and Beyoncé. A chorus of larger-than-life divas, grandiose wardrobes, unapologetic style, and personalities impossible to resist.
Dressing The Woman in Gold: Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt, one of the most revolutionary artists in recent memory, lived in tumultuous times, suspended at the turn of the century in the stylistic seam between Art Nouveau, Expressionism, and Symbolism. This lecture will explore how his breathtaking portraits reflect the upheavals of the era and its fashions through his distinct depictions of women, nudity, sensuality, and the supernatural. Klimt’s turbulent life story is also that of his beloved Emilie Flöge, a pioneering fashion designer and predecessor of Coco Chanel, whose contributions have since been largely forgotten.
Fashion According to Andy Warhol
The fascinating story of the superhero of modern art — the man who dreamed of dying with his blue jeans on — belies an unwavering, lifelong love of fashion. From his early career as a shoe illustrator to the conception of his famous paper dress, to the language of fashion formulated through his art, this lecture will chart the trajectory of his extraordinary life. We will also get to know the fashion designers who continue to take inspiration from his work today, keeping his character alive and kicking on the runway, on the street, and in the culture at large.
Fashion Through Man Ray's Lens
History primarily portrays the artist known as Man Ray as a roaring twenties artistic revolutionary. However, he had an earlier, lesser-known career. Not many know that the artist, whose name is synonymous with Dada and Surrealism, was also one of the first fashion photographers who left an important mark on the industry. Appearing in the pages of Vogue before being sold at auction years later as works of art, his brilliant fashion photographs pierced through the realm of advertising in a way few had done. This lecture will investigate the enigmatic personality of a man who, despite finding success in the fashion industry, always felt an aversion to it. We will examine questions like, what was Man Ray hiding? And what was his complex involvement with the model/photographer Lee Miller (who herself had an eccentric personality)? We will look at how the revolutionary visual techniques we associate with Man Ray were, in fact, discovered by accident.
Fashion: The Museum's Superstar
Fashion exhibitions worldwide have grown rapidly in popularity over the last decade. Due to their combination of artistry, aesthetic beauty, and associations with pop culture, museum exhibits on fashion houses like Alexander McQueen, Dior and Chanel have attracted audiences en masse. Incorporating images and videos from these breathtaking exhibitions, this lecture will explore the relationship between fashion and art, recount the story of fashion’s “backdoor entrance” into the museum, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the secrets and stories held by the clothes we wear.
Forever, Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe: a living legend who transcended the roles of actress, model, and singer to become an enigmatic idol. Through her, we glimpse the essence of mythical style - from red carpet glamour to effortless everyday chic. Her hourglass figure, signature blonde locks, and iconic beauty mark defined an era. In 1950s America, Monroe wielded fashion as a powerful tool, scandalizing with daring designs while privately embracing simplicity, famously sleeping in just Chanel No. 5. Behind the fluttering dresses and platinum hair lay a complex woman, battling personal demons and societal injustice. Monroe remains an unsolved riddle, her influence echoing through generations of icons like Madonna. Join Yaara Keydar as she unravels the mystique of Marilyn Monroe, exploring the allure of this iconic figure who captivated the world with her irresistible charm and timeless style.
Frida Kahlo's Hidden Colors
Frida Kahlo’s paintings, color schemes, and groundbreaking tropes have been fascinating researchers and museumgoers for decades. Her relationship with fashion and dress, however, is less well-known. Kahlo, who regarded her appearance as a part of her artistic creation, is an enduring source of inspiration to the worlds of fashion and design, from Givenchy and Gaultier to Madonna. Pain, beauty, disability, feminism, and strength are all intertwined in her story, as well as in her clothes. Following the textures, colors, dress, jewelry, and ideas of radical feminism that were decades ahead of their time, this lecture will endeavor to unearth the character of one of the most fascinating figures in the world of art history.
Grace Jones: A Fashion Revolution
"Strange, I've seen that face before," sings Jones in one of her iconic hits, reflecting her life as a controversial figure deeply rooted in her surroundings. The Jamaican girl who arrived in New York and quickly captured the public's imagination has always danced on the edge with her androgynous look, unique fashion, and provocative exploration of gender. She gravitated towards the new wave movement in the seventies, pairing this musical shift with a bold, dramatic visual transformation that commanded attention. Collaborating with visionaries like Jean-Paul Goude, Keith Haring, and Philip Treacy, who designed her unforgettable costumes and hats, Jones transcends the role of singer to become a cultural force—a modeling and acting icon whose original style and subversive messages challenge outdated views on race, sex, and gender. Yaara Keydar's lecture spotlights this inspiring figure who reminds us all that the world is a stage, and it's where we should dare to present our most extraordinary selves.
Happy Birthday, Met Museum!
Missing New York? Why not take a virtual visit to one of the big apple’s quintessential landmarks? In this live, online lecture, we will explore the hidden gems of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the grandest and most prestigious art institutions in the world. Our virtual tour will include the history of the Costume Institute and its famous annual gala, the wing that once hosted a Chanel runway, and the setting of one of the most memorable scenes from “When Harry Met Sally.” We will discover how a 3D-printed skeleton dress made its way into a current exhibition and find out what happened to the iconic metal admission buttons the museum used for decades –– and how they relate to the Olympic games. Finally, we will visit the new exhibition “Making the Met,” where we will meet Saint Rosalia, praying to end the Italian Plague epidemic, painted by Van Dyck in 1624 while he was quarantined in Sicily.
Issey Miyake: The Future Sewn in Pleats
Issey Miyake was much more than a fashion designer. He was an architect of fabric, an artist of movement, and a visionary who saw fashion as a universal language. From his Tokyo studio to the grand stages of Parisian fashion, Miyake created garments that became part of our visual culture: groundbreaking silhouettes, futuristic materials, and folding techniques that redefined how we think about clothing.
We will dive into the world of a designer who blurred the boundaries between craftsmanship and tradition, between technology and art, and reinvented the way garments relate to the human body.
How did the folds of Pleats Please become a model of smart, accessible fashion? How did Steve Jobs’ black turtleneck become an icon of personal branding? And what was it about Miyake’s magic that made his work so timeless?
Through revolutionary designs, East–West dialogues, and ideas that reshaped the fashion world, we will explore the legacy of one of the most daring and influential designers of the 20th and 21st centuries — a man who dreamed of clothing that wasn’t just worn, but that offered true freedom.
Jackie Kennedy: The First Lady of Fashion
Jackie Kennedy, one of the most iconic women to ever hold the title of First Lady of the United States, captivated the world with her extraordinary sense of style that reshaped the landscape of fashion. Kennedy redefined the role of the First Lady not only on the political and formal stage, but also as a symbol of American glamour and style.
In this moving lecture, we will journey through her life and discover how pastel suits, pillbox hats, pearls, oversized sunglasses, and her signature hairstyle became enduring icons of fashion and femininity. Jackie’s life was marked by dramatic turns, highs and lows: her years in the White House, coping with the grief of her husband’s assassination, raising her children as a single mother, her second marriage, and her later years in New York.
Her elegant style, blending grace with effortless charm, continues to inspire designers, public figures, and fashion lovers around the world. Through her fashion and personal choices, we will uncover how she left a lasting mark on American culture — and how fashion can become a symbol of resilience and comfort in times of loss and tragedy.
Je t'aime, Ronit Elkabetz
Ronit Elkabetz was an icon, both in Israel and internationally. Through her work advocating for the rights of women and in her capacity as an artist’s muse, Elkabetz left an indelible mark on the arts of cinema, acting, and fashion. She was able to combine ideals of center and periphery, fashion and art, and create characters that have been etched into the collective social and cultural consciousness. In this lecture, Ya’ara Keydar, curator of Je t’aime, Ronit Alkabetz, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the exhibition, which was shown in collaboration with Shlomi Elkabetz at the Israeli Design Museum in Holon. We will see how her clothes, accessories, and shoes function as time capsules, preserving moments of Elkabetz’s life, and allowing for a renewed, in-depth look at her work within the context of the world of cinema, as well as of her personal and professional life.
Madame Grès: The Jewish Couturière Who Sculpted in Fabric
Madame Grès was the quiet genius of haute couture — a Jewish woman who redefined movement, form, and the way fabric embraces the body. She dreamed of becoming a sculptor, but instead of shaping stone, she sculpted with cloth. Her dramatic pleats, architectural lines, and obsessive sense of proportion made her one of fashion’s best-kept secrets.
For her, sewing was a form of sculpture. Every fold was meticulously planned, every piece of fabric draped around the body like a living work of art. She dressed princesses, Hollywood divas, and high-society women, yet she also fought to preserve her fashion house during the Nazi occupation, where her refusal to collaborate nearly cost her her life.
In this lecture, we will dive into her turbulent life — from the struggle to protect her Jewish identity, through her timeless designs, to her tragic downfall when her fashion house was cruelly erased.
How did she turn fabric into architectural structure on the body? What made her creations eternal? And why, despite her silence, is she considered one of the most revolutionary and influential designers of the 20th century?
Madonna: Blonde Ambition
The queen may lack a crown, but she dons a cone bra, fishnet stockings, and the iconic name Madonna! The ultimate diva of Western pop, who, with her debut record, sent the world into a frenzy with her groundbreaking style, continues to shape and influence the fashion scene. Madonna is the master of the stage persona, using clothes and accessories as tools for social revolution and a shield against relentless public scrutiny. In her lecture, Yaara Keydar explores the life of this modern icon—a tale of courage and personal sacrifice woven through the musical milestones and stylistic evolutions of a woman who constantly reinvents herself while always staying true to who she is. Madonna, this is a love song.
Marie Antoinette: To the Very End
Think you know Marie Antoinette? Think again. The controversial queen arrived at the court of Versailles at age 14 and changed history through fashion. Behind the glittering icon lies a human figure full of complexities, who arrived in France as a young and foreign princess and was forced to navigate the predatory world of the royal palace. She turned the dresses, wigs, jewelry, and shoes at her disposal into tools with which she defended herself and also stirred up storms and turned worlds upside down. Why did she become a symbol of caprice and waste? Did she really say, "If there's no bread, let them eat cake"? Is she the one who crushed the French economy? For over 250 years, the woman who used fashion as a means of conveying messages, conquering hearts, and demonstrating power has been an eternal fashion icon and continues to inspire fantasy among creators and designers, including John Galliano, Thom Browne, and Sofia Coppola. Tighten your corsets and prepare to discover a Marie Antoinette unlike anything you've known before.
Matisse's scissors: canvas, fashion, and textiles
The works of the artist Henri Matisse and his influence on an entire generation of creators, designers, and artists leave no doubt that fashion and textiles play a huge role in his creative story. Yet still, it seems his love for textiles and fashion is a lesser-known facet of his character. Matisse grew up in a region of France that specialized in textile weaving; as an adult, he moved to Paris and filled his gray apartment with rich, printed, woven, and knitted fabrics. Through his iconic works, we will try to understand how textiles moved from the background of his composition to the center of his work and how Matisse became a stage and costume designer. His legacy has spread beyond the spaces of the museum - his bold colors, innovative textures, and captivating silhouettes can also be revealed in the designs of Yves Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood, Vera Wang, and others.
Mugler: Fetish, Fashion, and Supermodels
Dresses with a motorcycle-handle bra-piece, metal corsets with jointed abs, and a robot dress: a journey into a world of fantasy, Amazonian models, haute couture, fetish and glamor in the footsteps of legendary designer Thierry Mugler. Mugler, one of the twentieth century's most daring and innovative designers , was a promising classical ballet dancer in his youth, but abandoned dance for another stage: fashion. It soon became apparent, however, that the stage had not abandoned him, for his runways featured theatrical costumes and haute-couture clothes that shocked the world. The bold clothes he created were always designed for the greatest divas—and presented a new femininity. Mugler passed away in 2022. The lecture follows his extraordinary story and examines his miraculous work through an extensive traveling exhibition of his work.
My Story: Tel Aviv, New York and Back
Get an exclusive glimpse into Yaara Keydar’s journey through three of her curated exhibitions: "Je T'aime Ronit Elkabetz" (2018), "The Ball" (2021), and "Alber Elbaz: Dream Factory" (2022). In this intimate lecture, Yaara will share the behind-the-scenes stories of the creative processes, the exhilarating discoveries, and the passions that fueled her career as a fashion historian and curator. You’ll hear about the real-life highs and lows, the moments of surprise versus meticulous planning, and how some of her greatest mistakes were her most brilliant decisions. Join Yaara as she takes you on a heartfelt journey through the challenges and triumphs that have shaped her path.
Not by the Book
What is Alice’s dress doing in a Beatles song? How did Oscar Wilde and Virginia Woolf become fashion icons? In which book did Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress first appear? What thrilling secret lies behind Dorothy’s ruby-red slippers? And which female poet became a rock star and shaped the style of an entire generation? Ya’ara Keydar, fashion historian and curator, invites you on a journey through the wardrobes of male and female writers and literary figures who have shaped our culture. What do their clothes tell us, and how have they influenced the fashion world?
The lecture will be accompanied by a unique video art by artist and illustrator Geffen Refaeli, and video artist Rino Avidar.
Painting the world with emotion: fashion, cubism, and Sonia Delaunay
Come discover the famous artist and designer you never knew. The lecture reveals the beautiful story of Sonia Delaunay, one of the great artists of the beginning of the 20th century and the first to have a retrospective dedicated to her at the Louvre Museum. Her work was born from cubism and developed into multidisciplinary fashion and design. Together with her husband, the artist Robert Delaunay, she developed the movement of Orphism and, through fashion and textile design, ignited the imagination of famous designers and brands such as Fendi, Celine, Prada, Valentino, and Hermès.
Princess Without a Kingdom: Diana’s Fashion Story
What made Princess Diana a fashion icon that continues to stir the hearts of fans 25 years after her death? This talk will follow the beloved fashion princess through her wardrobe. Life under the lens of probing cameras taught Princess Diana to use fashion to express herself, her values and feelings. In fashion, as in her life, she was not afraid to take risks and break conventions, to create sensations and to collaborate with various designers, from haute couture to street fashion. In this inaugural lecture, we shall dive into her moving story through her fashion legacy and discover how fashion served her as a rich and wide-ranging medium of self-expression, for conveying criticism of the Royal Family and even for influencing the global social arena.
Secrets from the Ball
The exhibition "The Ball" is the largest fashion exhibition ever held at Design Museum Holon. The lecture "Secrets from the Ball'' will provide an exclusive glimpse into the complex creative process of the exhibition, which lasted three years. Curator Yaara Keydar will share the unique process of curating an exhibit about fashion as a way to time travel, disconnect from reality and express wishes. Yaara will share intriguing questions she dealt with during the process, such as: How do you illustrate an imaginary history of Cinderella's shoes? Is it possible to resurrect ball gowns from the 18th century? How do you turn optical fibers into a dress and styrofoam and cement into macaron mountains? And what is the connection between Lady Gaga and Beyoncé to Holon and Israeli fashion? Yaara will lead us on a visual journey between dreams and reality, share thoughts on the proportion and limits of good taste, and will reveal puzzles, dilemmas, and illusions unique to the connections between fashion, history, museums, and imagination.
Secrets of Heroines
How can one find beauty in the darkness of war? Can it even hold meaning when humanity is shrouded in shadow?
In the lecture “Secrets of Heroines”, exhibition curator Ya’ara Keydar invites the audience on a behind-the-scenes journey into the making of “Heroines: Fashion and Hope in World War II.”
In this talk, Ya’ara shares the curatorial process and the personal experience of engaging with such a complex subject in the aftermath of October 7.
Curation is a process that involves collaboration with professionals, moments of success and failure, mistakes, and a great deal of magic.
Ya’ara will tell how a single tiny thimble led to an entire exhibition. She will reveal the mysteries uncovered during the research, share moving stories from the production process, and speak about sources of inspiration—something we all need now more than ever.
This is a heartfelt lecture about a journey between sorrow and beauty, between loss and hope—and above all, a deep belief in women and humanity.
Shocking Pink: The Fashionable History of a Debated Color
How did the color pink, once considered masculine, come to be thought of as “cute” and distinctly feminine? And how did it find a place in the varied cultural movements of punk, hip-hop, avant-garde, and feminism? This lecture brings together highlights of art history, cinema, erotica, and haute couture in an exploration of the surprising and fickle history of one of the world’s most controversial colors.
The Bad Boy of the Fashion World: Jean Paul Gaultier
Experience the exhilarating journey of Jean Paul Gaultier, the French designer who revolutionized the fashion world on his audacious rise to the top. Known as the bad boy of French fashion, Gaultier, undeterred by a lack of formal training, fearlessly challenged the conventional and redefined beauty. Through his fusion of street fashion with haute couture, he gave birth to some of the most controversial and bold collections, capturing our hearts with iconic designs like the sailor suit, cone bra, and corsets for men. Gaultier dressed legends like Madonna, Boy George, Kim Kardashian, Carla Bruni, Lady Gaga, and Naomi Campbell, and his costumes became cult classics in films such as "The Fifth Element." Yaara Keydar's lecture celebrates the transformative power of fashion, driven by imagination and a daring dose of French audacity. We’ll explore the Brooklyn Museum’s exhibition dedicated to him, retracing his pioneering path that redefined beauty ideals at the close of the 20th century.
The Banana Wears Prada: Fashion and Food
Food and clothing have long transcended their roles as mere necessities. Culture imbues them with national, class, gender, and various other meanings, revealing a world of desires, traditions, and the pursuit of beauty. Yaara Keydar invites you to a tasting menu exploring these connections—from ball gowns adorned with lobsters to a cocktail that shaped fashion during Prohibition, sugar dresses, banana shoes, and watermelon bags. This is an invitation to embark on a compelling journey through the unexpected intersections of fashion and food, where questions of good and bad taste, the link between fast fashion and junk food, and humanity's oldest cravings—to eat and to dress—are all explored.
The Blue Gold: Jeans, Indigo, and Haute Couture
The thousands of tons of blue indigo pigment produced around the world annually indicate the enduring place that blue jeans, the industry’s “blue gold,” hold in the fashion world. Nearly 150 years after their conception, an estimated 450 million pairs of jeans are sold each year. But how did jeans make the transition from worker’s garments to haute couture, gracing the runways of top designers? How did indigo attain its noble status and come to be traded like bars of gold? How did a pair of Levi’s jeans become an archeological artifact, selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars? This lecture will take you on a beautiful journey through time and culture, weaving together fashion, sewing, and history to reveal endless layers and shades of blue.
The History of Fashion Magazines, from Marie Antoinette to Anna Wintour
How did people know what was considered fashionable before the fashion magazine was born? And how did Oscar Wilde become a fashion editor? Anna Wintour and "Vogue" magazine are just one link in the glorious chain of the beautiful world of fashion magazines, which began in the Elizabethan period (!). In the lecture, we will follow the magnificent evolution of fashion magazines from small and unimportant sections to weighty volumes that set the fashion agenda in the Western world. This is an invitation to a critical look inside the fashion magazine: what happens within and outside the editorial corridors? What is the elusive role of the editor-in-chief during the upheaval of the internet age? And in the spirit of the times, we will also talk about the place of fashion during epidemics and wars and how to make room for everyone between the chrome pages.
The Model Wore an Armchair: On Fashion and Performance
Some of the most captivating artistic performances have unfolded on the runways, where couture meets street fashion. Visionaries like Thierry Mugler, Hussein Chalayan, and the Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf, among others, have crafted unforgettable worlds by blending fashion with performance and technology. They have redefined the relationship between fashion shows and performance art, pushing boundaries with collaborations that resulted in astonishing looks, from futuristic garments to wearable armchairs. Yaara Keydar offers an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes of this dynamic intersection of fashion and performance on the world's most coveted runways.
The Pope Wears Prada: Fashion and Christianity
Fashion and Catholicism, wealth and grandeur, diamonds and embroideries –– what could all this have to do with Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and Rihanna? And how have contemporary fashion designers drawn from traditional Jewish dress?
Taking inspiration from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2018 exhibition “Heavenly Bodies,”–– the most popular in the museum’s history –– this lecture explores the intersection between contemporary fashion and the worlds of faith and religious ritual.
The Rise and Fall of John Galliano
Explore the meteoric rise and tumultuous fall of the brilliant yet controversial designer John Galliano. In this gripping narrative, Yaara Keydar delves into the life of a visionary who crafted fantastical worlds, pushed the boundaries of imagination, and forever changed the fashion landscape. As the artistic director of Givenchy and Dior, Galliano orchestrated some of the most electrifying fashion shows in history, soaring to incredible heights and experiencing profound lows. This journey traces the path of a designer with an unparalleled style, drawing from extraordinary historical inspirations and a keen awareness of the cultural moments he inhabited. It’s a tale of both hate and empathy, of the madness of refined taste and the temporary loss of moral direction—a roller coaster through the life of one of today’s most remarkable fashion designers.
The World According to Christian Dior
Legendary designer Christian Dior helmed his fashion house for only ten years, but in that short time, he changed the face of fashion forever. Despite the large number of designers that have cycled through since 1957, Christian Dior’s spirit seems eternally present. This lecture tells the story of the famous Parisian fashion house through the personal story of Dior himself and through the stories of the designers that have since passed through its doors; including the loved-and-loathed John Galliano and the scandal that led to his dismissal and Maria Gracia Chiuri - the first woman artistic director of the Maison who made feminist values a part of the brand’s identity.
The woman who turned a stiletto into a hat: fashion, surrealism, and Elsa Schiaparelli
A dream journey following the Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli and her unique imprint on the fashion world. Her fantastic and bewitching designs shook the world in the decade between the two great world wars and continue to be a source of inspiration for fashion designers today.
Schiaparelli was influenced by the surrealist movement, the preoccupation with the subconscious and dreams, and the beauty of the irrational. Together with Salvador Dali, she created groundbreaking fashion: from a skeleton dress to the famous stiletto hat and a dress decorated with a giant lobster. How did the Italian designer get to the cutting edge of French couture? What is the difference between her and the fashion house that bears her name today? And what does it all have to do with Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Kim Kardashian, and Beyoncé?
Untie the Apron’s Knot: Release and Protest - From the Kitchen to the Couture Runway
What is Alice’s dress doing in a Beatles song? How did Oscar Wilde and Virginia Woolf become fashion icons? In which book did Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress first appear? What thrilling secret lies behind Dorothy’s ruby-red slippers? And which female poet became a rock star and shaped the style of an entire generation? Ya’ara Keydar, fashion historian and curator, invites you on a journey through the wardrobes of male and female writers and literary figures who have shaped our culture. What do their clothes tell us, and how have they influenced the fashion world?
In this special and exclusive evening, Keydar will host musician Oren Barzilay, soloist of the band Dr. Casper’s Rabbit Show. Inspired by the captivating stories, Oren created, especially for the show, unique arrangements of famous songs, which he will perform live.The evening will be accompanied by a unique video art by artist and illustrator Geffen Refaeli, and video artist Rino Avidar.
Vivienne Westwood: Queen of Punk and Fashion
A wild journey in the footsteps of the legendary fashion queen who revolutionized and changed the course of the fashion world, paving the way for many designers after her. Westwood passed away this year, at the age of 81, leaving a glorious legacy. She became famous as one of the most influential figures in the punk scene of the 1970s, and turned into one of the most successful and sought-after designers in the world. Westwood fearlessly merged together Victorian fashion, punk, humor, politics, and sustainability. The lecture will tell the story of this iconoclastic designer, who subverted outdated conventions and shattered boundaries between fashion, culture, and museums, leaving a profound mark on the fashion world and beyond.
Wearing Tomorrow: On Fashion and Technology
Will we soon don dresses crafted from artificial spider silk and stroll through the city with evening bags made of mushroom leather? Buckle up: the future is already upon us. In recent years, technology has seamlessly integrated into the fashion world. Dutch designer Iris van Herpen pushes the boundaries of the human body with 3D printing, while the brand Coperni creates couture dresses by spraying them directly onto models during shows. Imagine garments that change color based on your mood or "wake up" to the sound of music. Yaara Keydar presents a futuristic summit where haute couture meets technological marvels. Embark on a journey into the fashion of tomorrow and the world it will dress.
When the Muses are Heard: Creativity Amidst Chaos
Wars are destructive and dark events, but often, artists turn trauma, pain, and loss into creation. History, just like these days, teaches us that cultural works created under challenging moments can give us inspiration, hope, and comfort, reminding us that words, colors, and sounds have a healing and necessary power. Ya'ara Keydar invites you to a special event about the ability of music, art, cinema, and poetry to offer meaning in times of crisis: War singers – from Leonard Cohen to Marilyn Monroe, the poppy flower that surprisingly bloomed from the ruins, the poetry of Yehuda Amichai and Wisława Szymborska, the encouraging role of the mustache, the strange story about tattoos, and also the origin of the yellow ribbon that marks the hope for returning home.
Yayoi Kusama: A Love Story in Dots
Explore a lecture on madness, creativity, collapse, and success as seen through dots, gourds, and infinity rooms. Yayoi Kusama, the renowned Japanese dot artist, is one of the most celebrated figures in the art world. At 95, her art is more popular than ever in the age of Instagram. With a diverse body of work and a distinctive visual style, Kusama’s creations have become a captivating spectacle of iconic allure. This dotted journey traces Kusama’s tumultuous life through her groundbreaking art, avant-garde fashion, collaborations with Louis Vuitton, and her experiences with madness and fame
bottom of page