Fini Leitersdorf, the doyenne of Israel’s fashion designers, died Sunday at the age of 82. She drowned while swimming in the garden pool at the home of her architect son, Toni, in Savyon. The funeral was held in Kfar Shmaryahu Tuesday. The Hungarian-born Leitersdorf was the widow of artist Yohanan Simon. She began working in Tel Aviv in 1940 and designed theater costumes, dresses, men’s wear, shoes, jewelry and even buttons. An exhibition of her designs was held in the Tel Aviv Museum two years ago.
Leitersdorf’s best-known work is probably the desert coat she designed for the Maskit folk art shops 30 years ago and which has remained a steady seller ever since.
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