Studio
Inside the Studio: SHAHAR AVNET
Which city and particular neighborhood is your studio located in?
My studio is located in Tel-Aviv in a neighborhood called Florentin. It used to be an industrial area but in the past decade it became an artist community. There's a lot of studios, galleries, and designer stores located in this area.
What made you choose this particular space and location?
I started my brand working from my apartment that was located in the Florentin neighborhood. This neighborhood is my favorite area in the city—all of the supplies and fabric stores are nearby. It’s a young, vibrant, and fun place to live and work.
As my brand grew, I started looking for a bigger space. I knew I wanted my new studio to stay in this area. I found my ideal space in this old industrial building full of artists. It's a big open studio with high ceilings. It's full of light and the layout allows me to have a showroom, work area, and office space all at the same time. I love the idea of the creative energy flowing throughout the studio—from the sketching to the final product. It allows my customers to see the magic come to life!
The high ceilings also allow me to present my art. My art actually plays a big role in my designs and it adds a fun and colorful touch to the space that makes me smile every morning when I walk in!
Most favorite and least favorite aspects of the neighborhood?
My favorite aspects are the artistic vibes on the streets—graffiti and beautiful people. I love the market and old shops.
The least favorite aspects are that the old industrial area is quite messy and not very organized.
What made you decide to create a fixed base with a physical studio space?
I value the feeling of having a home. My studio is my second home. I spend most of my days there. It's secure, comfortable, colorful, and full of freedom where I can create, host, and live.
How do you think working in a studio plays a role in the design process?
The work environment plays a huge role in the creative process. As I mentioned before, we have a big open space were we all work together. I believe that the design process is directly impacted by the work space energy, which is why I chose amazing women to work alongside me.
Tell us a bit about your space. What are you favorite components?
I love the feeling of the open space, the high ceilings, and the light coming through.
Where do you feel the most inspired in your space?
I have an awesome pink sofa that I had custom made. When I sit there, I can see the entire space, and it's definitely my favorite spot.
Bring us through a day in the life while working in the studio.
Coffee! Then emails, surprises, surprises, surprises… then lunch! Coffee, music, and so on.
Most unexpected part of the studio?
The most unexpected part is the studio itself! The building is a very industrial space and walking through it you would never expect my colorful and joyful studio to suddenly appear. I get this comment often when people come to visit.
What’s your creative process like? Has it changed since working in your space?
My design process is derived from my mental and spiritual state of being. I start from choosing a subject that relates to my life in the past 6 months. Then I create an inspiration book. This book is like a dairy where I write my thoughts and feelings. After writing I go through the book and add an illustration, drawing, or collage to each sentence. The outcome is an inspiration book full of colors and textures.
Then I take a sketchbook and start to develop the silhouettes for the designs. After that, I search for materials, fabrics, colors, and textures.
Next is the embroidery development stage. I go back to my inspiration book and choose my favorite drawings and create them as embroideries with a variety of materials and stones.
When it finally comes time for construction, I match the silhouette with the fabric and the embroidery so that the garments finally come to life.
Are there other designers working in this neighborhood?
Yes, but there are mostly artists in my building.
What personal touches did you add to the studio?
All of my heart.
