A new initiative in the Israeli fashion industry proves that fashion can be much more than just clothing. The CANDID chain recently launched a special project in collaboration with the "Left Behind a Partner" association—an organization that provides holistic support to the spouses of fallen IDF and security forces personnel.
At the heart of this initiative is a unique shirt designed in collaboration with Alexa Baluev, who lost her partner, Major Adir Abudi z"l, in the events of October 7. The shirt not only delivers an important message but also serves as a platform to amplify the voices of women who have lost their loved ones.
The central image on the shirt’s design is a biological heart with arteries symbolizing the "many paths of love" between Alexa and Adir. The unique aspect of the design is a missing puzzle piece within the heart, which appears separately as a tag telling Adir’s story—a symbol of an irreplaceable void left behind.
The text on the shirt is handwritten by Alexa herself: "There are many ways to love him, but not a single way, not a single option, to forget him." The design was inspired by a well-known phrase: "Many are the ways to love you, the longest one is to forget."
Alexa emphasized that she wanted the shirt to be more than just a fashion item, but also to preserve the memory of the fallen and tell the stories of bereaved spouses. "Whoever wears the shirt helps us keep the memory of the fallen alive," she stressed.
CANDID has committed to donating 20% of the proceeds from shirt sales to the "Left Behind a Partner" association, aiming to support its crucial work in assisting women coping with loss and raising awareness of the organization's activities.
The shirts are available for purchase at all CANDID stores nationwide and on the company’s online store for NIS 199.90.