Fashion
From working with at-risk youth to a global fashion brand: The duo aiming to conquer America
Ira Laufer was recently the CEO of a company owned by the family of American actor Will Smith and later headed a firm belonging to international fashion icon Miroslava Duma. Reut Ron Setter, on the other hand, worked in rehabilitating at-risk youth. Recently, they teamed up and are now spearheading the new fashion and lifestyle brand SAISEI, with hopes of conquering the U.S. market.
“Of course, I’ll leverage my U.S. connections to promote the brand,” says Laufer, now CEO of SAISEI. “I have an entire team that has worked with me over the years and is now working with us. I also plan to collaborate with content creators and PR professionals. On June 1, when we launch the brand in the U.S., I’ll send invitations to all the influencers and celebrities I know. By the way, the Smith family has already received plenty of SAISEI items.”
“In the U.S., the brand will initially be sold online. We’ll also do pop-ups and collaborations, but I believe it will take time before we transition to a physical store,” adds Ron Setter, who co-owns the brand with her older brother Amit Ron. “Our strategy in the U.S. mirrors that of Skims, Kim Kardashian’s fashion brand. Looking five years ahead, I see the brand being recognized and appreciated in the U.S., likely at the stage of opening a flagship store. It’s a modest and realistic vision for me, aligned with my values.”
A Family Rooted in Fashion
SAISEI (Japanese for “rebirth”) combines Israeli technology with production abroad, primarily in Vietnam and Cambodia. The brand falls into the popular “athleisure” genre, known for blending sportswear with everyday style. SAISEI also prioritizes sustainability, using innovative and environmentally friendly materials. For example, the brand incorporates threads made from recycled fishing nets and old carpets, transforming waste into new fabric and garments. The collection includes leggings, biker shorts, tank tops, T-shirts, sports bras, bodysuits, socks, and underwear.
“The fastest-growing segment in fashion today is hybrid athleisure,” emphasizes Ron Setter. “These items work for both gym workouts and casual outings. There are stronger and weaker players in this genre, and there’s room for everyone. When consumers see our collection, they’ll recognize a significant new player.”
“In the past, leggings were just for workouts. Look at photos from the recent Paris Fashion Week—you’ll see models wearing leggings. They’ve become a bona fide fashion item. People wear leggings with high heels,” Laufer adds.
The official debut of SAISEI is currently happening in Israel with the opening of a pop-up store at the Ramat Aviv Mall, running until the end of January, alongside an online store. However, Ron Setter’s sights are firmly set on the U.S. “We are an international company with technology and production capabilities tailored to the global market, both in scale and infrastructure. That’s where we’re heading. Our competition is on the global stage,” she explains.
Ron Setter may be a newcomer to fashion, but her family has been in the industry for over 30 years. Her grandfather, the late Reuven Ron Ronkin, founded IKAR, a company specializing in seamless textile production for global brands. After his passing, her father, Eyal Ron-Ronkin, took over the business.
A Personal Journey
Ron Setter (40, mother of three daughters) has a very different background. “From ages 17 to 22, I was in a relationship with Tom Farkash, who was killed in a helicopter crash during the Second Lebanon War,” she shares. “His death changed my life and plans. Eventually, I turned to working with at-risk youth. I’m someone who always seeks meaningful work. I established several projects for at-risk youth, and through one of them, I met Erez Seter, who became my husband.”
How did you transition into fashion?
“After a long period of dealing with difficult emotions, I realized I wanted to do something less painful. Then my father mentioned they had just completed technological developments for what would become SAISEI. My brother, Amit, who is my business partner, also works at IKAR and specializes in technology. Textiles are the world’s second-most polluting industry. My brother wanted to find solutions to reduce pollution, particularly focusing on fishing nets, which fishermen often discard into the ocean, creating massive waste. Over a long process, we developed a technology to turn these nets into fabric fibers. This innovation forms the foundation of our new brand.”
How did you feel about this shift?
“I started working at the office without any prior professional knowledge, just a deep respect for my father’s life’s work. After a turbulent year and a half, the brand was born. The journey had its ups and downs. At one point, I met Ira, who became the company’s CEO, and we clicked instantly. Once he joined, everything fell into place. We had an excellent product and strong support to realize our dreams. As mentioned, our focus is on the American market, and Ira has the ability to take the brand to its highest potential.”
“Living the Dream”
“Reut and I are like the same person in different forms. It’s a cosmic, karmic connection where you meet someone and feel like you’ve known them in a past life,” says Laufer about their bond. “She’s an amazing woman—intelligent, educated, and energetic. That’s what drew me to the brand beyond the business opportunity. We met through my sister, and the rest is history.”
Laufer (45, father of three) grew up in Israel and moved to New York after his military service. He lived there for 23 years, studying and working. In 2017, actor Will Smith appointed him CEO of Just Water, a company owned by Smith’s son Jaden, which produces eco-friendly bottled water.
“Someone from the Smith team contacted me. They said they were looking for a CEO, and through a chain of connections, I ended up meeting Will. That’s how it all started,” Laufer recounts. “It was an incredible experience, and I’m still in touch with them. Beyond managing the company, I served on the Smith family’s board, helping make decisions on their personal investments. I worked there for four years. It was amazing—living the dream, flying on private jets, attending high-profile events. But it was also very demanding. These are people who expect you to always be available, day or night. Will is an incredible person, very genuine. What you see is what you get.”
Through the Smith family, Laufer met fashion icon Miroslava Duma and served as CEO of her company, PANGAIA, from 2021 to 2023. “Mira is an incredible woman—a former model and a successful entrepreneur,” he says. “She built a highly successful company driven by her vision of sustainable fabric technology, conscious consumption, and opposition to fast fashion.”
Emphasizing Sustainability
Through the Smith family, Laufer met fashion icon Miroslava Duma, and between 2021 and 2023, he served as the CEO of the leading apparel company PANGAIA, owned by her. “Mira is an amazing woman—a former model and a businesswoman,” he says. “She built a very successful company out of a dream she had, related to fabric technologies that address environmental awareness, sustainable consumption, and anti-fast fashion. On a business level, I learned from her the insight that any dream can become a reality. She built a business from scratch, reaching a turnover of $200 million in its first year. It was born out of her desire to make a change. Miroslava truly created a new reality.”
“Duma,” he adds, “had a strong aversion to endless consumption. In this, I see parallels between her vision and the vision of the SAISEI brand. Take, for example, the crazy consumption during Black Friday. I do want people to buy the brand I manage, but how many things do we actually need in our wardrobe? You need one high-quality black pair of tights and one stunning black dress. Our new brand’s values are deeply tied to environmental sustainability, which aligns with everything I’ve done in the past and what I believe in as a person. In the end, we are here for a limited time, and if I can leave the world slightly better than how I received it, I will be very happy. SAISEI is not fast fashion. Yes, we want to sell, but we want to sell quality items that have a positive environmental impact.”
“I’m offering a wardrobe built on sustainability,” Ron Setter emphasizes. “Our items are timeless, not tied to fleeting trends. Our customers understand quality. For example, our leggings cost 370 shekels. I’m not targeting those looking for 70-shekel leggings to throw away after a short time, which increases environmental harm. Today, I understand it’s better to invest in a few sets that last for years—something our technology enables. Despite the current economic challenges, I’m proud of our ability to produce and offer high-quality fashion at accessible prices. We own the brand and manufacture it, so our prices can be more competitive. We view the brand as affordable luxury.”
Laufer adds: “Our size range is extensive, from XS to XL. We don’t cater only to models but to everyone, which is especially important in the U.S. Our goal is to become a well-known international brand that provides high-quality, comfortable, and accessible solutions. That’s the gap we’ve identified in the market, and we’re working to fill it. Our branding is also very classic, with a subtle logo that sparks curiosity—nothing flashy like other well-known brands. Some people don’t want to be labeled by the brand they wear.”
How do you feel about transitioning from the glamorous U.S. scene to ‘regular life’ in Israel?
“I returned to Israel two years ago. I have three very American kids, and I wanted them to grow up with some Israeli identity. After 23 years in the U.S., I also felt ready for a change. Ultimately, I’m Israeli and came from the people, so it’s all good.”
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