Alice + Olivia designer Stacey Bendet does parking lot quick change for event celebrating her collab with Israeli artist Shira Barzilay

Designer Stacey Bendet did a parking lot quick change before her event with Israeli artist Shira Barzilay.Madison Fender/BFA.com

Alice + Olivia designer Stacey Bendet went to extreme lengths to look good for an event at her Southampton store to celebrate her collaboration with Israeli artist Shira Barzilay of Koketit.

Bendet tells us she was running late and had to pull over in a parking lot to change from jeans into a gown and jacket from the collection.

“I hate being late,” she told us. “I didn’t want to walk in wearing jeans. I didn’t want to sit in a dress in the car.”

Bendet pulled over in an empty parking lot to get ready. staceybendet/Instagram The party celebrated her collaboration with Israeli artist Shira Barzilay staceybendet/Instagram

Bendet has good reason for her tardiness, telling us her daughter was getting surgery for a broken collarbone caused by horseback riding fall. We’re told her injured tot is doing well.

The collection features a dress, jacket, jeans and more featuring Barzilay’s signature single-line drawings.

Bendet, who is Jewish, tells us she was introduced to Barzilay through designer Lisa Perry and feels that its an important moment to highlight her work.

Jenny Mollen and Lisa Perry celebrated the collection. Madison Fender/BFA.com

“I wanted to do a collaboration with an Israeli artist,” Bendet says. “I felt that given the rise of antisemitism, no matter what your views are on the war or religion, it is really important to support creatives at this time.”

While there have been countless incidents of Israeli or Jewish artists being “canceled,” Bendet says she’s not afraid of a backlash.

“When things get tough, the tough get tougher,” she said. “It’s not a time to step back from being Jewish or not support the women of Israel. It’s a time to support them and be there for them and platform them. If people hate me for it, so be it.”

Bendet wanted to support a Israeli artist. Madison Fender/BFA.com

“You should support women for who they are and what they do,” she said, “She’s so talented and I want to show that to the world.”

Barzilay is from Tel Aviv and has done collaborations with Cartier, Vogue Portugal, Harper’s Bazaar, Revlon, and Zara. She says she has lost some work since October 7, following Hamas’ terror attack on Israel.

“I did lose a couple projects,” the artist told us. “But I felt like I had a stronger mission and it was to speak up about what I knew to be the truth. I believe things will fall into place. And true to form, I got this incredible collaboration. It shows that no one can bring us down. We come together and that’s our strength.”

Barzilay painted during the event. Madison Fender/BFA.com Guests were able to take home works done during the party. Madison Fender/BFA.com

She added, “It’s insane to me that my pain is politicized. My right to existence shouldn’t be politicized.”

Barzilay created small paintings for guests at the chic shopping event and even painted a white jean jacket while Jenny Mollen, the actress, best-selling author and wife of “American Pie” star Jason Biggs, was wearing it.