Fashion and Fun at the 14th Street Y Carnival of Style Tuesday, May 23, 2006 Written by Janet Perisa Photographed by Krisztina Fazekas
	Apollo Braun, Designer

For Tziporah Salamon (an Israeli-born stylist who has taught courses in fashion at universities such as the Parsons New School of Design), dressing is an art form that expresses her individual connection and ardent respect for “God.”

“Women nowadays are all about showing off the body. They look cheap and are lacking self-respect. We have a saying [in Hebrew], Kavod Tifferet, which means ‘respect for beauty,’ and I want to bring back ethnic beauty in dressing,” said Salamon.

Tim Haft	Tziporah Salamon

Apollo Braun	Apollo Braun

Kinky Jews	Kinky Jews

Apollo Braun	Apollo Braun

But Salamon got a bit more than she had expected when she agreed to join the 14 th Street Y’s, Jewish Artists Workshop’s anything-but-Orthodox Carnival of Style, which featured a wild and wacky range of Jewish designers, dancers, photographers, and kinksters in a side-splitting event that’s sure to condemn these chosen people to forty years of grueling service at their local Synagogues.

Apollo Braun	Kinky Jews

Carnival of Style focused on each of the performer’s diverse method of using the human body as a form of expression. The evening began with a gallery reception, which displayed the works of photographers; most notably was the “Bagel Bellies” series by photographer, Julie Blankstein. Photos of doughy potbellies were conveniently placed above a table of light refreshments. Following was a fashion show/burlesque hosted by none other than the rascally Scotty the Blue Bunny, who relished in the joy of being a six-foot, gay Jewish rabbit, while showing-off his “tail” to the audience more times then they had hoped to see it.

Apollo Braun	Size Queen, Bertha Markowicz Designs

Fashion highlights included Bertha Markowicz’s tribute to full-figured gals titled, Size Queen: When Large is Just Not Big Enough. These wild and sexy threads come in sizes XL-8XL. But it was not until 10 p.m. on that Tuesday night, when Apollo Braun’s fierce collection hit the stage that the tiny venue inside the 14 th Street Y turned into celebration that resembled a 5AM after-party at the raunchy and very much missed Sound Factory.

Burlesque Dancer Dottie Lux	Burlesque Dancer Dottie Lux

Size Queen Bertha Markowicz Designs with Scotty the Blue Bunny

Belly dancing…body piercing…titty twirling—you name it! While it is uncertain if the show’s performers will be invited back for an encore, be sure to check The 14 th Street Y’s site for upcoming events this summer. See you there!

www.14StreetY.org.