The name Iscah was given to Sarah, one of the matriarchs of the Jewish religion. The name means “behold” but in the context of the story the name means much more. Sarah was given the name because she was seen as bautiful, not only for her physical looks but also her spiritual connection to God. I chose to represent this story with one outfit from a S/S fashion show that employs the imagery from the stories of Passover and Yom Kippur on Avant Garde forms of traditional Jewish Religious wear. These two holidays occur during spring and summer on the Christian calendar and although the themes of the holidays differ they happen in chronological order.
This outfit is based on the holiday of Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. The holiday started after the Jews escaped Egypt. During their travels Moses climbed Mt. Sinai to receive the ten commandments and on his return he found the Jewish people worshipping the idol of a golden calf. In the Jewish religion it is forbidden to worship idols. Since then Jewish people have celebrated Yom Kippur to achieve atonement, the expiation for an individual’s own sin in order to attain God’s forgiveness and purity. The shows theme is the achievement of spiritual purity which adds beauty to ones’ self through atonement. The idea that beauty and spirituality being interconnected can be seen in religious texts. The rugged aspects shows the trials to achieve purity and the resiliency used to obtain it. Themes of resiliency are constant throughout Jewish history and religion.
