In celebration of both fashion and comfort, Santa Monica residents flocked to the opening of Israeli boutique RUTI at 1406 Montana Avenue earlier this month.
Boutique owner Ruti Zisser created the store to bring hard to find clothing from Tel Aviv based designers to the U.S.
In 2010, she opened a flagship store in Palo Alto, followed by a store in San Francisco a year later. After visiting Santa Monica, she felt she had found another perfect location for her collection of clothing.
“I feel like this is my vibe,” Zisser said. “I just fell in love. People here have fun all day. So it really reminds me of Tel Aviv and the vibe of Tel Aviv.”
Zisser said the clothing she stocks in the store is not only fashionable, but also perfect for women who seek comfort.
Israeli designer Hagar Alembik, who attended the opening on June 13 and is one of 18 designers whose clothing is featured in the store, says that for her, comfort is what it’s all about.
“I design clothing so women can feel really good about themselves,” Alembik said.
While the clothing may be comfortable, it does not lack a sense of style.
Zisser makes four trips a year to Israel to gather the most fashionable clothing, shoes, bags, and jewelry she can find.
Brenna LaBine, a Santa Monica resident who works at the boutique, says she enjoys the clothes for their balance of modern style and femininity.
“The clothing is really fashion forward but still has an homage to the classic feminine silhouette,” LaBine said.
Zisser emphasized the clothing’s ability both to flatter every woman yet be unusual.
“Our clothing is for everyone,” Zisser said. “It is very easy to wear, very fashionable and unique. It fits everyone.”
“This is the kind of clothing that you can say you love or you don’t love, but for sure if you wear them, someone will ask where you got it.”
