"I wouldn't define it as an obsession, maybe more like nostalgia," says Shunit Hemed-Faragi with a smile, speaking about the over 100 swimsuits in her wardrobe.
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"There are women who collect handbags, some collect shoes. So I collect swimsuits. I also don't think that 100 is such a crazy number. In my opinion, almost every woman my age has had dozens of swimsuits throughout her life, and I simply don't like to get rid of them."
Shunit failed to mention that her swimwear collection also features several iconic looks from her past, which she stores in a closet at her childhood home. These include the yellow swimsuit she wore to the Miss Universe pageant in Vietnam in 2008 (to which she was sent after finishing as the runner-up at the Miss Israel pageant), or the blue fringed bikini she sported in the Israeli reality show "Hisardut" (Survivor) in 2011.
"Almost every swimsuit reminds me of a certain period or a specific moment," she said. "Whether it's my military service or the beauty queen pageant or the time I was pregnant with one of my daughters. Only if it's a swimsuit that doesn't look good on me anymore and doesn't hold any special memories, I'll get rid of it."
Where do you store your swimsuits?
"In two large bins in the wardrobe. Because my body has undergone some changes throughout the years, there are some that don't look as good on me now, and they'll be at the bottom of the bins."
Do you have preferred shapes and colors?
"I love them all. For example, if I want to tan and plan to spend a whole day at the beach or by the pool, I prefer to wear a bikini. If it's for a short while, I prefer a one-piece swimsuit because I think it's very beautiful and flattering to the body," she says.
"As for shapes and colors, in recent years, it depended on the country I was living in. In Spain, for example, there were mostly floral swimsuits, in England, it was one-piece and black swimsuits, and in Australia, which has the most beach-style culture, I used to wear tiny colorful swimsuits, in a thong bikini style with a triangle top."
Hemed Faragi, 36, was born and raised in the northern town of Kiryat Tiv'on. She launched her modeling career at the age of 21, right after the Miss Israel pageant.
She is married to national soccer team striker Tomer Hemed, 36. The two met at the age of 13 in school, and became high school sweethearts at 18, just before enlisting in the IDF. Today, they have four daughters together: Maya (eight and a half), Emmy (five and a half), Lena (three and a half), and Hailey (one-year-old).
Twelve years ago, the young couple embarked on a journey around the world owing to Tomer's dynamic athletic career. During this time, Shunit managed to complete a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's degree in business administration. On top of that, she is currently studying parent education at the Adler Institute.
After the birth of her third daughter, she rekindled her romance with the limelight, this time as an influencer. She is often recognized as the presenter for vitamin company Solgar, and was recently chosen as the ambassador for the underwear brand Jack Kuba. Shunit also religiously maintains her Instagram and YouTube account, which has 12,000 subscribers.
Last July, after more than a decade of wandering between different countries, the family returned to Israel after Tomer signed with Hapoel Be'er Sheva, and settled down in Omer, an affluent town near Be'er Sheva. "Of course, we are happy to return to Israel. It's our country," she says.
Is there a chance you will move abroad again?
"When we returned to Israel, Tomer and I said it was for good, but I admit that today, we are less resolute. If a good offer comes, we won't rule it out."
At least in Israel, you can count on it being warm for the most part, and you can wear swimwear often.
"Totally. But I want to say that wearing swimwear is also a form of expression for me: we women need to love ourselves and be proud of our bodies, including everything it's been through.
In my opinion, it's important to wear swimwear even when you're pregnant, even after giving birth, during times when you feel amazing about yourself, and even during times when you feel less so. You need to tell yourself that you're proud of how you look, no matter what. I also have periods and moments when I'm less content with myself, and I still put on a swimsuit. I explain to myself that, after all, I am a mother to four daughters. I've been through births, pregnancies, breastfeeding. My body is no longer the same as it used to be. But when I look at it, every curve and stretch mark reminds me of something from my childhood. For me, it's a source of pride and great joy."
Every swimsuit has a story
Mini Me: "Three years ago, when my oldest was almost six and the middle daughter was almost three, I bought matching swimsuits for the three of us from the designer Shani Shemer, and the girls were thrilled to dress like mom. Today, when they see me in a swimsuit they love, they want me to buy them the same thing."
The one-piece swimsuit made of Lycra fabric: "This swimsuit is very dear to my heart, it's over 40 years old. Originally, it belonged to my mother, who was a dancer, a dance instructor, and later a Pilates instructor. She always dressed very beautifully and was an inspiration to me. I fell in love with it when I was about 20, I adopted it, and since then, it has stayed with me."
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Shunit Hemed Faragi in her mother's swimsuit
(Photo: Eran Levi; styling: Limor Maya Rihana)
The red bikini: "Two years ago, after Tomer moved from the New Zealand team, whose uniforms were yellow, to the Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia, whose uniforms were red - I decided to notify my followers in an original way: I bought a red bikini, posted a picture of myself with it on Instagram, and wrote: 'My new outfit for the year 2021-2022.' From there, Tomer moved to Hapoel Be'er Sheva, whose uniforms are also red, so the red stayed."
