WOMEN IN DESIGN

This month, in honor of International Women’s Month, we at iota want to pay tribute to women who did not only design objects but helped shape our identity as a nation - from the passport we hold to the tiles we walk upon. They helped create the design arena in which we work today, and they are our roots and foundations

1- Franzisca Baruch, 1935. (see appendix below)

2 - Attempts at the Haaretz newspaper logo, 1984. (see appendix below)

Even before the establishment of the Israeli state, several remarkable women designers were already laying the groundwork of Israeli visual culture. Franzisca Baruch, a graphic designer and painter born in Germany, was educated in the spirit of the Bauhaus. When she arrived in Israel in the 1930s, she created a modern Hebrew typographic language. She designed the Haaretz logo, the emblem of the city of Jerusalem, and the first Israeli passport, combining the tradition of sacred Hebrew lettering with the new aesthetic of modern typography. She did not merely design fonts; she created the visual infrastructure of our sovereignty - from official symbols to the books many of us grew up reading.

3 - Dizengoff Square, 1940s. (see appendix below)

Around the same time, the young architect Genia Averbuch - only 25 years old - was already designing the iconic Dizengoff Square and many buildings surrounding it. Some called her “the Queen of the White City.” In a male-dominated architectural field, she insisted on flowing lines and on thinking about space primarily as a place for human and social encounter. Her work on national institutions and residential buildings in Tel Aviv paved the way and became a model for the generations of women architects who followed.

4 - Elisabeth Cohen-Silberschmidt, 1953 (see appendix below)

5 - Lapid Ceramics, 1960s (see appendix below)

If you have a piece of “Lapid ceramics” in your home, chances are that Elisabeth Cohen-Silberschmidt has entered your house - and perhaps even your heart. As Lapid’s chief designer from the 1950s, she brought a modernist sensibility from Northern Europe to the Levant, translating it into everyday objects which became familiar in many Israeli homes. Her work marked a transition from small craft series to more sophisticated industrial design. Lapid’s iconic Arabesque series remains popular by design collectors today, and it even inspired a set of crocheted vases we designed last year.

6 - Dora Gad, 1935 (see appendix below)

7- Design of El Al's 'Britain' aircraft, Yehezkel and Deborah Gad architects. (see appendix below)

8 - Knesset of Israel 1966, Dora Gad (see appendix below)

9 - Knesset of Israel 1966, Wall design - Danny Karavan, Dora Gad (see appendix below)

The designer who brought design into the heart of Israeli state was Dora Gad, a Romanian-born architect often called “the interior architect of the Israel.” Dora believed that a space with good proportions hardly needs anything else. With a bright color palette responding to Israeli light and the use of local materials, she managed to infuse national buildings - from the exposed concrete halls of the Knesset to El Al airplanes - with character and soul. For her work on the Israel Museum and the National Library, she received the Israel Prize in 1966, always striving to connect functional architecture with the spirit of the place.

10 - Ruth Dayan, 1955 (see appendix below)

11 - Maskit - Clothing collection inspired by Nahal Hever fabrics, 1963. (see appendix below)

12 - Pini Leitersdorf. (see appendix below)

13 - Designs for Maskit, Pini Leitersdorf. (see appendix below)

It is impossible to speak about Israeli design without Ruth Dayan and Pini Leitersdorf. This duo may be an early model of what we believe in at iota: design as a tool for social change and cultural preservation. Ruth brought the vision and entrepreneurial spirit when she founded Maskit in 1954 to create employment for new immigrants. Pini, the brand’s chief designer, transformed the authentic handcraft traditions of Israel’s diverse communities into international high fashion. Together they created timeless pieces such as the iconic “Desert Coat,” proving that design can create dignity and livelihood while shaping a visual language that bridges East and West.

14 - Walls for public buildings, 1960s, Siona Shimshi. (see appendix below)

15 - Carpet segments for hotels, Siona Shimshi. (see appendix below)

Into this tradition stepped Siona Shimshi, a multidisciplinary Israeli artist who broke down the boundaries between art and functional design. Working on projects with both Dora Gad and Ruth Dayan, Ziona created in multiple mediums - textiles, carpets, and ceramics. In the 1970s and 1980s she led the Ceramic Design Department at Bezalel, instilling in generations of designers the deep connection between art and design. She believed strongly in the role of ceramics in the public sphere and in its contribution to Israeli culture, using material as a tool for social commentary while encouraging bold and independent thinking.

16 - Dorin Frankfurt, 2008, Photo: Amit Gosher, (see appendix below)

17 - "In Front of the Sea" - Summer Collection, Dorin Frankfurt 2016. (see appendix below)

Today, a new generation of Israeli women continues to lead design with responsibility and with belief in the possibility of a better future. Dorin Frankfurt has spent decades proving that fashion can respond thoughtfully to the spirit of the times, insisting on local production in Tel Aviv and fair employment for women from diverse communities. Long before ethics and sustainability became trends, she was already pioneering them—designing clothes that serve the female body in our local climate rather than fleeting fashion cycles.

18 - Adital Ela, Criaterra – Earth technology company. (see appendix below)

19 - A unique combination of stone powders, sands, clays and plant fibers, Criaterra, (see appendix below)

At the technological edge, Adital Ela is reinventing raw materials herself in order to help heal the planet. Adital, founder of Criaterra, developed groundbreaking technology that produces building tiles made entirely from natural materials, dramatically reducing air pollution. She founded a company and manufactures locally in Israel while creating products of international quality.

20 - Neri Oxman, 2017, Photo: Noah Kalina (see appendix below)

21 - Oᵒ project - From bacteria to bacteria, oxman. Image Credit: Nicholas Calcott. (see appendix below)

On the international stage, Prof. Neri Oxman advances similar ambitious and visionary ideas. A senior faculty member at MIT, she connects biology and computation to create what she calls an “ecology of materials” - for example shoes that, at the end of their life, return to the soil and nourish it. She is a sought-after lecturer worldwide on computational design and innovation.

Together, these women demonstrate that design is not only about aesthetics - it is about how we live responsibly with our environment and toward the future.

Why are we sharing all this with you? Because when we look at this list, we see far more than talent and success. We see determination and a drive toward repair and improvement. This list is only a small glimpse, and there are many more remarkable Israeli designers who deserve to be part of it. Yet for us, these names capture an essence. The women who came before us chose to build, to dare, and to believe in their ability to bring change. They created a design culture in Israel that is thoughtful, inclusive, and creative - a culture we are proud and excited to be part of.

In a world where power structures often lead to division, women’s work offers another model of leadership - one grounded in creation and care, both for materials and for people. We invite you to continue creating, to continue supporting one another, and to give credit to the women who shape our lives.

Wishing you a month of creative strength,
The iota Team

Appendix:
1 - Franzisca Baruch, Tel Aviv, 1935. Photograph from the catalog "Changing Patterns", Israel Museum
2 - Attempts at a Logo Haaretz Newspaper - from catalogue of “A New Hebrew Letter” exhibition which took place in 1984 at the University Gallery of Tel Aviv University.
3 - The original Tsina Dizengoff Square. 1940
4 - Image 505 | Elisabeth Cohen-Silberschmidt decorating, 1953, photographer: Rudi Weissenstein, Hazalmania - Scan from the book: Lapid Ceramics: Tools in the Melting Pot, Kobi Kleitman, p. 290
5 - 74| Pattern 233 designed by Elisabeth Cohen, 1960s, 1975 | Pattern 365, 1960s, 1976 | Pattern 565 designed by Elisabeth Cohen, 1960s, 1977| Saucepan, pattern 551 designed by Elisabeth Cohen,1960s - Scanned from the book : “Lapid Ceramics: Vessels from the Israeli Melting Pot”, Kobi Kleitman, p. 127
6 - Photo by: K. D. Zillman, 1935, From: Gad, Dora, 1912-2003, Dora Gad Archive, 1920-2003, code: PDoGa, Dora Gad Archive. The original is in: Archive of Israel Architecture (AIA).
7 - Gad, Dora, 1912-2003, Photos - 'EL AL' 'Britannia' plane Design, File 2 of 6, 1957-1957, PDoGa-002-030-003 Dora Gad Archive, Original is in: Archives of Israel Architecture (AAI), Original reference: 46087.
8+9 - Gad, Dora, 1912-2003, Photos - 'The Knesset, Jerusalem, File 6 of 7, 1966-1966, code: PDoGa-002-020-006 Dora Gad Archive, The original is in: Archives of Israel Architecture (AAI).
10 - Mrs. Ruth Dayan, wife of Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan, manager of the "Maskit" chain of handicraft stores in Israel.
11 - Photographer: Herzog, Peter, Photograph - Clothing collection inspired by Nahal Hever fabrics, 1963, reference : PNeWa-MAS-BONDS-027, Neora Warshavsky Archive, Original is in: Private collection.
12 - Photographs - Pini Leitersdorf, 1930-1986, reference: PFiLe-004-001-001, Pini Leitersdorf Archive, Original is in: Private collection.
13 - Digital files - Designs for Maskit, Pini Leitersdorf, [1955-1979, reference: PFiLe-004-003-006, Pini Leitersdorf Archive, Original found in: Private collection.
14 - Hirsch, Yachin, 1934-2011, Photographs - Walls for public buildings, 1960s, 1965-1966, Ref. PShHi-005-001-005-005 Siona Shimshi and Jachin Hirsch Archive, Siona Shimshi and Jachin Hirsch Archive; Original found in: Israel Arts Center - Faculty of Arts, Tel Aviv University.
15 - Shimshi, Siona, 1939-2018, Photographs - Carpet fragments for hotels, 2021, Ref: PShHi-005-001-006-006, Siona Shimshi and Jachin Hirsch Archive, Original found at: Israel Arts Center - Faculty of Arts, Tel Aviv University.
16 - Dorin Frankfurt, 2008, Photo: Amit Gosher
17 - "In Front of the Sea" - Summer Collection, Dorin Frankfurt 2016
18 - Adital Ela, Criaterra company
19 - A unique combination of stone powders, sands, clays and plant fibers, Criaterra
20 - Neri Oxman, 2017, Photo: Noah Kalina - Neri Oxman Photo Credit: Noah Kalina
21 - Oᵒ project - From bacteria to bacteria, oxman. Image Credit: Nicholas Calcott