AS REPORTED BY SALLY KILBRIDGE

Combining the soul of a sensualist with the rigor of an engineer, Israeli designer Lee Petra Grebenau enchants brides from Hong Kong to New York with her curve-conscious creations. Based in Tel Aviv, the designer uses rich silks and lavish details to create one-of-a-kind gowns sculpted to each client’s body. In early May, as much of the world was still under shutdown due to Covid-10, we spoke with Lee and her husband, Omer Dankner, the fashion house’s CEO, about the joys and challenges of working together.

The Bridal Council: When and how did you two meet?

Lee: The truth is that we both grew up in the same neighborhood in the city of Herzliya, in Israel, and we even went to preschool together. Then, 14 years ago, our relationship renewed and we have been together ever since. 

BC: How did you decide to collaborate professionally?

Lee: Omer comes from a completely different business background. He worked with his father from a pretty young age and was involved in some really big operations, mostly in finance and real estate. I had studied fashion design and started a small business in my parents' house that initially offered mostly evening dresses.

Omer: As soon as I recognized the potential in Lee’s business and her amazing talent, I started helping her more and more until I just got sucked into it.

BC:  How have your roles in the company evolved over the years?

Lee: At first, I did almost everything on my own but I also had some help from my mother, who had experience in fashion. Now that we have a great team working with us I’m much more focused on creative.

Omer: From the moment I joined the business, I have been trying to take on as much as possible, at first alone and later with the help of the team we built. Now I am mostly in charge of the company’s business development, finance division, marketing, and overseas sales. That means Lee can deal with designing new collections and meeting clients, mainly at the flagship stores in Israel and New York.

BC: It is possible to keep the professional and personal aspects of your partnership separate? 

Omer: Actually, although we are in the same location, each of us has our own tasks and we mostly work from separate spaces. 

Lee: At first it was quite challenging but we learned over time how to separate personal life and work.

BC: Omer, how does it feel to work in such a feminine environment? 

Omer: At first it didn’t come very naturally to me, party because my background involved working mostly with men. On the other hand, because I found Lee’s company had so much business potential, and I knew that her talent was worth investing in, it gave me a lot of motivation. Building an international brand is an incredible experience and I enjoy it a lot.

BC: What are your favorite moments during a typical season?

Lee: The first time you see your new collection’s gowns on a model’s body. This is a very exciting moment when you can start enjoying the fruits of what you’ve been working on so hard for several months. It is really exciting!

Omer: I like the excitement before a runway show. And the end of a successful bridal market can also be satisfactory.

BC: What is the best thing about being married to your business partner? What is the most challenging thing?

Lee: One good thing is simply spending more time together, unlike most couples who meet mostly after work in the evenings and weekends. Although that can also be the most challenging thing!

Omer: The most challenging thing can be bringing work home with us. But the fact that our goals and interests are 100% the same is really great. 

BC: How are you each keeping busy and sane during the global shutdown?

Omer: Luckily because we operate from an atelier in which most activity is exporting abroad, we can continue going to work, with restrictions, in order to make sure our production team is handling orders so brides can receive their gowns on time.

Lee: When we had to stay home, we simply tried to enjoy time with our two little boys. I also cooked a lot which is one of my favorite hobbies. 

BC: How do you each see your company in five years? 

Omer: This question is particularly difficult today because of the economic situation caused by the pandemic. It’s difficult to predict even five months ahead, but we believe that our business will keep growing fast and expand to more points of sale around the world.

Lee: My dream and goal is to bring my designs to many more brides worldwide.