What’s a non-Jewish guy doing making Jewish fashion? It is all about fighting antisemitism and promoting “Jewish chic”, according to Hannes Hein, the owner of Ook Fashion.
The Munich-based artist designed his caps and hair accessories with Jewish symbols with the hope that people would start wearing them on the streets of Germany.
“My goal is to bring Jewish themes back to everyday life,” said Mr Hein, whose mother had Jewish roots.
Mr Hein was inspired to design these accessories in 2009 after noticing the prevalence of neo-Nazi propaganda while on business trips to Dresden.
The National Democratic Party of Germany, the biggest far-right party in the country, had election posters everywhere, he said. “The former east German states are very vulnerable to NPD propaganda,” he said.
At a time when some rabbis advise Jews not to wear kippot or Jewish star pendants in certain areas in Germany, Mr Hein’s designs are surprisingly “in your face”.
To him, wearing something with an obvious Jewish symbol is an act of pride, and non-Jews should do it as well.
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