New collaboration will see portion of profits donated to terror-affected women in Israel
“My whole life I wanted to design clothes.” Esther Miriam Gruber shared the story of creating Esteem Couture New York, a clothing design business specializing in vibrant modest clothing for women.
Currently, she is collaborating with Elizabeth Pipco, a well-known fashion icon, for a special collection. The dresses are vibrant and feminine, with Israeli names; at the same time, they are modest. Ten percent of profits go to women affected by the atrocities of October 7. This includes wives and widows of Israeli soldiers. They are working in conjunction with Bullet Proof Israel, and they just opened for pre-order. They just opened their first retail store in ADdress at the American Dream Mall, where they also have a letter box with special stationery to send letters to people in Israel.
Estee grew up in Lakewood, New Jersey, when it was still a small town, and she wanted to create a line of clothing that would not compromise modesty and at the same time that would not look like everyone else’s. The clothing she wanted to design would be vibrant and still modest. “I wanted someone who wears my brand to feel unique and seen and modest at the same time.”
Estee shared that she grew up two blocks from one of the biggest fabric stores. She’d admire the fabrics and trimmings and she liked to see the patterns. She dreamed of designing clothes. She took a course in Israel in Yerushalayim in a fashion studio and she gained many skills. She learned how to elevate her skills to be more career-based. After that, she studied at FIT. She then interned in the Vanity Room in Manhattan, which is a fashion house in the garment district that sells to department stores like Norstrom, Barneys, and Lord & Taylor. Two years after that, she decided to let her wings soar and she was ready to launch her first season of clothing. It was due to launch in spring 2020, but that became a real challenge because of Covid lockdowns in China.
In January, she had to redirect production from China to New York. Then, there was a lockdown in New York and New Jersey, and she recalls going to the office and picking up the whole production and carrying it on the train. For the next couple of years, there were no regular shows, but then, baruch Hashem, over time, things went back to normal and she was able to produce her fashion line. Her perseverance in the face of this challenge is inspiring.
She shared that it’s a miracle when you open a brand. She hopes to open more flagship locations. They want to be in many cities like Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Malon, and in Israel.
Estee M is named for the Biblical Esther and Miriam, two power women who did what was right and didn’t worry what other people thought. Estee wants women to feel that they are dressing respectfully and feeling seen.
By Susie Garber
