How did we miss it? The accessible Spanish brand Desigual needs a comeback in Israel

Founded in Barcelona in 1984 by Swiss entrepreneur Thomas Meyer, Desigual was inspired by Ibiza’s stunning beaches. No, it’s not Zara (though it has its own merits). Meet Desigual: a brand born from Meyer’s vision to design a unique denim jacket made entirely from repurposed jeans. With this goal in mind, he turned to his friend Ankarna, Desigual’s first seamstress, creating the iconic patchwork jacket famously worn by Queen’s Freddie Mercury. After all, "Desigual" means "different" or "diverse" — a fitting name for such a brand. And from there, the rest is history.

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The one and only Freddie Mercury wearing the patchwork jacket in the late '80s

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The Spanish label expanded and is now present in over 110 countries. In Israel, it arrived in 2015 when Alpha Group secured the licensing rights, opening several stores across the country. While the brand remains unstoppable globally, especially in celebrity wardrobes, many Israeli fashionistas seem to be skipping over Desigual. So why is that? We believe it’s due to a few main reasons.

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First, Desigual celebrates bold colors, combinations, and a variety of prints, often focusing on large florals, intricate patchwork, and strong ethnic touches — a style that’s sometimes harder to digest locally or quickly integrate into wardrobes here. Second, it seems that the collections curated for Israel aren’t always finely attuned to local tastes, which might explain why some of Desigual’s best pieces never even make it to Israel.

Rosalía with a refreshing autumn vibe

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On the other hand, it’s clear that not everything depends on the importer. Globally, Desigual’s recent rebranding and faster-paced designs have proven successful, with the brand’s popularity rising. High-profile celebrities are increasingly embracing its vibrant, distinctive style. While we admit that over the past decade, we haven’t loved every collection from Desigual — some designs felt outdated or out of sync with global trends — every few seasons, they surprise us with outstanding pieces. That’s exactly what’s happening now, as the brand celebrates its 40th anniversary.

From model and actress Hari Nef to Amelia Gray, daughter of beloved housewife Lisa Rinna and actor Harry Hamlin, who starred in Desigual campaigns and walked their recent runway, the brand is on trend. Most recently, Rosalia and Jenna Ortega have embraced the label’s style. Rosalia brought fresh autumn vibes at Paris Fashion Week, pairing a two-toned nude trench coat with a gray pleated skirt adorned with black florals from the Fall-Spring 2024 collection. Meanwhile, Ortega donned a semi-tailored navy mini dress with thin stripes in Venice, promoting the film "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," with the dress priced at just NIS 400. Sadly, it wasn’t available on Desigual’s Israeli online store, but it might be worth checking the physical stores.

Jenna Ortega tailored in Venice

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Prominent fashion bloggers like Nina Urgell, Julie Sergent-Ferreri, Caroline Daur, Maria Bernad, and Israel’s own Vicky Montanari all adore the brand. Even Queen Letizia of Spain is a fan, often wearing Spanish brands and recently choosing an off-the-shoulder blue and white Desigual dress.

Then came the Spring-Summer 2025 show, held this past June at Barcelona’s port under the theme "Reflections of Desigual’s Past, Present, and Future," attracting a star-studded lineup of attendees. Amelia Gray and Hari Nef walked the runway, while Paris Jackson and Spanish actress Ester Expósito (rumored to be linked to football star Mbappe) were spotted in the front row. Models presented an eclectic, versatile collection inspired by the Mediterranean Sea and Barcelona’s summer sunsets, blending nostalgia with a bold feminine attitude. There were tulle and chiffon dresses in orange tones, asymmetrical ruffled tops, skirts with mirrored appliqués (a nod to the “reflections” theme), ultra-feminine mesh dresses, low-rise cargo pants, diverse prints, and, of course, iconic Desigual denim — wide jeans, patchwork jackets, and eye-catching trench coats. Accessories also shined, with standout pieces like "D" logo-heeled sandals, bold maxi bags, and sunglasses from Spanish brand Gigi Studios.

If you thought Desigual wasn’t leveraging the powerful marketing engine of brand collaborations, think again. In recent years, Desigual has teamed up with haute couture house Christian Lacroix (a collection that did make it to Israel), edgy brand Collina Strada (which also styles musical sensation Chapel Roan), and now a collaboration with Maria Escoté. The capsule collection is described as a tribute to “queens everywhere, redefining sensuality through a lens of female empowerment.” With all the exciting things happening for the brand worldwide, we wondered: why isn’t Desigual buzzing in Israel? We asked Itai Shay, Retail Division Manager at Alpha Group, to help us understand the situation.

It seems like some of Desigual’s essence and style might get lost in translation when it arrives here. Or perhaps not enough marketing efforts are being made to "bridge" this excellent brand to Israeli women. Have we missed seeing any Israeli fashion influencers wearing and promoting Desigual?

Shay clarifies, “The brand runs extensive marketing activities with digital campaigns, billboards, and we even launched a TV campaign in collaboration with the CHOZEN website. Additionally, we frequently engage with leading influencers, including Corinne Gideon, Eden Harel, and we work continuously with stylists.”

When asked about the collections chosen for Israel and why certain key pieces and iconic collaboration collections don’t make it here, Shay responded, “Alpha imports collections according to the seasons. The selection in Israel is extensive and includes top global bestsellers (though shipping delays due to the ongoing conflict sometimes occur). The current collection in stores is Winter 2024, available in malls and on the refreshed Chozen website.”

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It’s worth noting that prices here aren’t "rock-bottom," but they aren’t sky-high either — clothing items generally range from NIS 119 to NIS 449, with unique pieces (mostly dresses) priced at NIS 529 and up (the most expensive on the website is currently an embroidered lace dress at 809 shekels). Bags, belts, and scarves start from around NIS 139, reaching up to around NIS 700. So, what do you say, ladies? Let’s make Desigual great again?