BORDER STORY: Shirts Inspired By Crossing Borders

The Story chain approached three designers living in the surrounding areas who were at home during the terror that took place on October 7th with a request to design a t-shirt that would express their lives before and after. The result: a mini collection with six different designs of t-shirts, with all proceeds from it being donated to educational organizations, to prevent the world from ignoring and forgetting the horror we went through and the war we are in.

The designers, Yaro (28) from Be'eri, Hodaya (31) from Nahal Oz, and Itamar Mizrahi (24) from Re'im, managed to bring their personal stories onto the designed shirts:

Yaro, 28, a visual communication graduate from Shenkar, grew up and lives in Kibbutz Be'eri, 4 km from Gaza: "On 7.10.23, on a Saturday, I woke up in the black morning in Be'eri, the kibbutz where I was born and raised, knowing that things will never be the same. From those moments of terror in the safe room, and after 12 hours of tension and fear, we jumped out. We opened the window and escaped outside the kibbutz. The feeling of shock that I survived was replaced by excitement that I made it out alive."

Inspiration: From these feelings, I created a contrast between sadness and anxiety, and the desire to live anew. What was, was, and what will be, will be... Nothing will ever be the same after I escaped from the trap and the shackles that bring out myself and my thoughts. I expressed myself between clean logo tapes and innocent and familiar emojis that reflect my experiences before and after that Saturday that changed my life forever.

Itamar Mizrahi, 24 years old, a designer and artist born and raised in Kibbutz Re'im, 4.7 km from Gaza. Inspiration: Tel Jamma - an illustration of the hill symbol associated with the kibbutz and with the symbol of Kibbutz Re'im, the hill near the kibbutz. Kibbutz Re'im was originally called Kibbutz Jamma after the hill... The hill overlooks Gaza and the landscapes of the kibbutz. Dedication - in memory of my grandmother Vera, a pioneer of Kibbutz Re'im who was murdered in the massacre in the kibbutz on October 7.

I was exposed to fashion design from an early age, from my grandmother and mother. From there, I continued to study fashion design at Nofei Habsor High School. After a few years outside the kibbutz with the studio, I returned to my childhood landscape to open a new studio in my home. The mythological structure of the disco (the meeting place that best reflects life, love, and joy in the kibbutz) became a workspace. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to open the studio. I believe I will return and continue to create and design.

Hodaya Hadar Assis, 31 years old, from Nahal Oz, is the owner of a studio for business branding, design, and website development. In the past two years, she has been recognized as a member of the community in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, which has become her home and where her studio is located.

"On Saturday, October 7th, our home was looted and destroyed as part of the great disaster, as well as the invested studio I built. Luckily, we survived, but our hearts are broken for the dear people we lost and for the place that was our home. I believe that we will return home to Nahal Oz, flourish, bloom again, and rebuild our beautiful kibbutz in the country.

The inspiration: Every year, we celebrated the New Year with a procession on Rosh Hashanah in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, at the end of which we released balloons into the sky hoping that the year would bring us peace. This was the last event we celebrated together in our kibbutz. The skies were blue, in an almost unreal color, we all rejoiced and blessed in anticipation of the coming year that will bring us good.

The events of October 7th left a huge hole in my heart and in all of our hearts, in the shape of our home. The children of Nahal Oz who survived drew the balloons, but this time in a different atmosphere, and that is my inspiration. "Returning home" is written in the spirit of the late leader of the kibbutz, Ilan Fiorentino. In his role, he often left his home and family to protect the residents, and he also lost his life on that same Saturday. Ilan's favorite song was "Returning Home" by Hope 6. And now we all just want one thing, to return home...

Adi Tiger Azulay, Vice President of Marketing at 911 Fashion: "At its core, Story chain imports brands from around the world that tell a story and prioritize environmental and social agendas. The BORDER STORY project was created exactly from the place where we thought about how we can tell our own story in our way, the incomprehensible story that began on that same Saturday, October 7, 2023. The profits will be donated to educational organizations so they can spread the terrible story of Israel October 2023."

Price: 180 shekels for a shirt from the unique mini-collection. Sizes: S to XL. All profits from the sale will be transferred to educational organizations in Israel. Available in Story stores and on the website.