Ministry sponsors mile-high runway

In what is surely a fashion first, Israeli designer label Frau Blau hosted a surprise runway show this week on a maiden Wizz Air flight from Tel Aviv to Budapest.

Passengers boarding the Hungarian aircraft had no idea what awaited them.

The stunt was part of a new initiative by the Tourism Ministry to promote cultural exchange between Israel and Hungary and to encourage visitors to both countries.

Designer and co-founder of Frau Blau, Philip Blau, hoped the show would highlight ties between the two countries.

“Our collection is based on popular European fairy tales. And of course on tradition of Jewish European fashion. So I think we created a kind of a link between the hot Israeli clime and European tradition,” he told Jewish News One.

Ofir Lev of the Israel Textile and Fashion Association said the show helps bring awareness to Israel’s normalcy and cultural depth.

“I think that any discussion about Israel shouldn’t be a discussion of the Middle East, conflict, tanks, bombs, etcetera. I think that we have a normal life here, it’s a very normative life and country … We have a very interesting culture, great food, great fashion.”