Did you know that many of fashion’s most impactful and present faces are Jewish?
From Adam Sandler’s dad style to Gal Gadot’s timeless looks, Jews have made their mark on Hollywood and the fashion industry, working with some of the biggest fashion houses in the world.
Let’s unpack 13 Jewish style icons who are making their mark on fashion, culture, and Judaism in 2024.
Read more: Who are the celebrities supporting Israel during the war?
Natalie Portman
Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman is known for her versatile filmography including roles in “Star Wars” and “Black Swan.”
In addition to acting, she made her directorial debut with “A Tale of Love and Darkness”, a film based on Israeli author Amos Oz’s autobiography of the same name, set during the last years of British Mandate Palestine.
Portman was born in Jerusalem to Eastern European Jewish parents. Her maternal grandparents were American Jews, while her paternal grandparents were European immigrants to Israel.
Portman’s family moved to the U.S. when she was a child. She attended a Jewish day school in Long Island, New York, before her breakout role as a child star in the film “Leon: The Professional.”
She and husband Benjamin Millepeid had a Jewish wedding ceremony and are raising their children Jewish.
In 2010, Portman became a brand ambassador for Dior and she is currently the face of Miss Dior perfume. In 2023, the brand dressed her in a recreation of their iconic Junon dress for the Cannes Film Festival.
Portman’s style is known for being classic and elegant, often veering away from trends in favor of more timeless ensembles.
As a vegan, she often promotes environmental and sustainable fashion through thrifting and shopping secondhand. She also promotes Jewish designers like Zac Posen and Isaac Mizrahi by wearing their apparel.
Beanie Feldstein
Beanie Feldstein is best known for her work in coming-of-age films like “Lady Bird” and “Booksmart,” the latter of which earned her a Golden Globes nomination.
In 2022, she embraced her Jewish roots when she played the iconic Jewish character Fanny Brice in the revival of “Funny Girl” on Broadway.
Feldstein and her older brother Jonah Hill were raised by Jewish parents, Sharon Lyn and Richard Feldstein. Her mother is a costume designer and her father is a longtime business manager who served as the tour accountant for Guns and Roses.
In recent years, Feldstein has broken down barriers for plus-size women in the fashion industry. Esteemed designers and labels such as Brandon Maxwell, Christian Siriano, and Kate Spade have handpicked her to showcase their designs and attend exclusive events.
Her uber-fashionable bridal looks from her wedding to Bonnie-Chance Roberts last May were featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Brides magazine. Feldstein often leans toward feminine styling and a delicate color palette of pastels that match her unique charm.
Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler may be the most famous Jewish person on this list, notably making films and speaking about Jewish topics publicly.
Sandler was raised by Jewish parents on the East Coast and was involved in BBYO as a teen. He has raised both his daughters to be proudly Jewish, which was reflected by their casting in his 2023 film “You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah.”
Sandler is best known for his comedic performances in films like “Happy Gilmore,” “Big Daddy,” “50 First Dates,” “Grown Ups,” and “The Wedding Singer.” He first rose to fame in “Saturday Night Live” with his comical original songs, including the famous “Hanukkah Song.”
In a surprising turn of events, in 2021, American Vogue crowned Sandler the style icon of the year due to his role in popularizing the famed “grocery-run look.”
This lazy-on-purpose aesthetic features oversized t-shirts, basketball shorts, extra-large pants, Nike sneakers, button-downs, and cargo pants. The Jewish menswear brand Old Jewish Men now sells a line of basketball shorts inspired by this aesthetic.
When Esquire asked Sandler about his new status as a fashion icon he said, “It took a while. I have been working at that angle for years. For a while, I was like, ‘Please accept me and the way I dress.’ And 30 years later, they finally came around.”
Maude Apatow
Maude Apatow is best known for her portrayal of Lexi Howard in HBO’s hit series “Euphoria.” However, her journey to fame began with notable collaborations with her father Judd Apatow in films like “This Is 40,” “The 40-year-Old-Virgin,” “The King of Staten Island,” and “Knocked Up”.
Her Jewish heritage comes from her father’s side and she often attends Jewish celebrations, claiming that she once attended “40 bar-bat mitzvahs” in one year.
Maude’s style has earned her a place on multiple best-dressed lists, thanks to her work with stylist Mimi Cuttrell (who also works with Ariana Grande, Madelyn Cline, and Gigi Hadid).
Her style is elegant, timeless, sleek, and classic, often taking inspiration from Old Hollywood with an edgy twist.
She frequently wears Armani, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Miu Miu and Mugler. In 2023, Apatow made her Met Gala debut wearing a cut-out vintage-inspired Chloe gown which was featured in Elle.
Timothée Chalamet
The actor and heartthrob is best known for prestige films like “Call Me By Your Name,” “Lady Bird,” “Little Women,” “Bones and All,” “Don’t Look Up,” the “Dune” franchise, and most recently, “Wonka.” He has become a favorite of directors like Denis Villeneuve, Luca Guadagino, and Greta Gerwig.
Chalamet grew up in New York, and his mother is of Russian and Austrian Jewish descent. He has said that his Jewish background allowed him to deeply connect with his “Call Me By Your Name” character Elio’s Jewish descent. His Golden Boy image to the public has also earned him the label of a “nice Jewish boy.”
Read more: Everything you want to know about Timothée Chalamet’s Jewish identity
Chalamet has been making waves in the fashion world since 2019 when Vogue named him the most influential man in fashion, praising him for his gender-blending style. This distinction was followed up by GQ and W Magazines ranking him the best-dressed man in the world in 2020.
He has worked closely with top high fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton, Haider Ackermann, Cartier and Chanel. In 2021, he co-chaired the Met Gala for its theme “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” In 2023, he made waves for his eclectic outfits during the “Wonka” press tour.
Lenny Kravitz
Best known to Gen Z as Cinna from “The Hunger Games,” Lenny Kravitz is a Grammy- and VMA Award-winning singer with hit songs like “Fly Away” and “American Woman.”
Kravitz was born to a Russian-Jewish father and Christian mother and identifies as interfaith. He often references his Christian beliefs in his work with an album called “Baptism.”
In 2022, Kravitz received the Fashion Icon Award at the CFDA Awards for his influence on men’s fashion. Known for his urban bohemian street style, he is often photographed in statement scarves, leather jackets, and chainmail.
Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan is known for his chart-topping songs “Youth,” “My My My!” and “Rush,” plus his roles in “The Idol,” “Wolverine,” and “Boy Erased.”
He has been shortlisted for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe. He accompanied Taylor Swift during her Reputation Stadium Tour in Pasadena, California, and has collaborated with Tate McRae and Charli XCX.
Sivan grew up in Australia in an Orthodox Jewish family. His mother converted to Judaism and his father is of Lithuanian-Jewish descent. Despite attending Orthodox day school, he does not consider himself a religious person.
Sivan has emerged as a style icon within the queer community, experimenting with genderless style. He is often seen mixing elements of masculine and feminine fashion, including his famous Met Gala Altu tank dress.
In July 2023, Sivan made his Vogue debut on the cover of Vogue Australia in a detailed Thome Brown dress.
Madison Beer
Singer Madison Beer is best known for hit songs like “Melodies,” “Boyshit,” “Good At Goodbye,” “Selfish,” and “Home With You.” She was first discovered by Justin Bieber after he tweeted her cover of Etta James’ “At Last,” and was eventually signed to Island Records in 2012.
Raised in New York by a Jewish family, she celebrated her bat mitzvah in 2012 with a “Madison’s Square Garden” theme.
Read more: Our favorite Madison Beer Jewish moments
Beer’s unique style has garnered attention recently for her cool girl street style and vintage aesthetic — often featuring graphic tees, layered rings, mini dresses, joggers, knee socks and oversized sweatshirts.
In 2021, her reputation as a fashion icon was solidified by her Met Gala attendance. In 2022, Vogue featured her in their “7 Looks for 7 Days” series on YouTube, highlighting her fashion influence.
Kaia Gerber
Kaia Gerber is often called the doppelganger of 90s supermodel mother Cindy Crawford. She has followed in her mom’s footsteps by becoming a fashion model and a prominent face in pop culture through acting in projects like “American Horror Story” and 2023’s “Bottoms,” alongside “Shiva Baby” star Rachel Sennott.
Gerber was raised in an interfaith household and her father was Jewish. In a 2018 interview, she said, “I love learning about both of those sides of my life. We’d do Passover, Passover dinner, and Yom Kippur. I love learning all of that, and learning the cooking.”
Gerber has walked the runways for big designers such as Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, Prada and Valentino. In 2017, she won the Model of the Year award at the British Fashion Awards.
Gerber has also appeared in numerous editorials from fashion magazines like Vogue, i-D, W and Pop Magazine. She has also done fashion campaigns for brands like Miu Miu, Versace, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, and Louis Vuitton, and became the face of Alaia in 2023.
Nicola Peltz
Heiress Nicola Peltz is best known for her acting work in “Chippendales,” “Bates Motel” and even Miley Cyrus’ “7 Things” music video.
In addition to her acting career, she is also a successful model and made headlines for her uber-fashionable wedding to Brooklyn Beckham in 2022.
Her father, billionaire Nelson Peltz, is a proud Jew and her mother, model Claudia Heffner, converted to Judaism.
Peltz and her two brothers all celebrated their bat and bar mitzvahs, and when Peltz and Beckham tied the knot, they had a Jewish ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida, as Beckham’s great-grandfather is also Jewish. Peltz proudly sports a Yiddish tattoo that says “family first.”
Peltz, who is known for her sleek and feminine style, has graced the runways of renowned fashion houses including Alexander Wang and Balenciaga.
Her close relationship with Valentino is well-documented and she has attended the Met Gala with the brand multiple times.
Emily Ratajowski
Model, actress and podcaster Emily Ratajowski is best known for appearances in “iCarly,” “We Are Your Friends,” “I Feel Pretty,” “Gone Girl” and Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” music video.
Ratajowski, whose mother is a Jewish day school teacher in San Diego, identifies as Polish-Israeli since her ancestors made aliyah to Israel from Poland.
What sets Ratajowski apart is her fearless approach to fashion both on and off the red carpet. As a model, she has worked for Miu Miu, Versace, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY and Paco Rabanne, and has graced numerous fashion magazine covers, including Vogue, Allure, and Glamour. She recently starred in Versace’s 2023 Spring campaign.
Gal Gadot
Israeli actress Gal Gadot is renowned for her versatile acting career that includes roles in blockbuster films such as “Fast & Furious,” “Wonder Woman,” “Death on the Nile” and “Red Notice.” Before her acting career took off, she was crowned Miss Israel in 2004 and represented her country at the Miss Universe pageant that same year.
Gadot, who grew up in Rosh HaAyin, has a rich Israeli identity as a seventh-generation sabra. She served in the Israel Defense Forces for two years as a fitness instructor for combat units.
Her grandfather is a Holocaust survivor and she has discussed how her family’s experience in World War II profoundly influenced her and her work.
Read more: The woman behind “Wonder Woman”: Gal Gadot’s Jewish journey
During the Israel-Hamas war, she has been outspoken in sharing her support for the Jewish state. Her Israeli identity and IDF service has led to controversy with her films banned in several countries including Lebanon, Kuwait, and Jordan.
Gadot’s style is characterized by its simplicity and chic elegance. As a model, she starred in Gucci’s fragrance campaigns and graced the covers of Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and most recently, Vogue Hong Kong in July.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross is the daughter of music legend Diana Ross and business manager Robert Ellis Silberstein. Best known for her roles on TV shows like“Girlfriends” and “Black-ish,” she has earned six NAACP awards and co-created the series “Mixed-ish,” a prequel to “Black-ish.”
Ross, whose father is Jewish and mother is Christian, identifies as interfaith. Growing up, she celebrated both Jewish and Christian holidays, but in a 2015 interview, she explained that she didn’t grow up with much faith. However, she fondly recalled her family trip to Israel, calling it a highlight of her childhood.
Ross’ personal style is colorful and dramatic, often playing with bold colors and silhouettes. In 2020, Ross was honored with the Style Icon award at the People’s Choice Awards.
In a 2022 survey by The Cut, Ross tied with Tilda Swinton for “Which famous person, dead or alive, do you think has the best taste?” with 8% of the 146 respondents saying so.
Originally Published Feb 1, 2024 02:16PM EST
