Karen Shechori

Karen Shechori for English National ballet

Israeli student Karen Shechori graduated in Fashion Design from the School of Fashion in London in 2013. After winning a scholarship for the Master in Fashion Design Womenswear, also in London, she is now completing the thesis for her master's degree and kicking off what looks like a promising career. The curricular project in which Karen has been involved is the result of the collaboration between Istituto Marangoni and a special partner: the English National Ballet. IM Master’s students were asked by the staff of the British ballet company to follow the brief and design costumes for "Le Corsaire" ballet based on Lord Byron’s original masterpiece (1814), about the pirate Conrad and his love for the young and beautiful Medora. Choreographed for the first time ever by Joseph Mazilier for the Académie Royale de Musique, Paris, in 1856, in the last century "Le Corsaire" has been continually re-adapted for Russian and US audiences, whereas the ENB has been the first company to bring the ballet in the United Kingdom. Karen Shechori, together with the other participants, has had the opportunity to enjoy free access to the archives of the English National Ballet, as well as to manage a budget of £1500 and attend the exciting performance of Le Corsaire dancers at the London Coliseum. She was asked to get quickly familiar with the needs of artists and design three costumes for the first dancers. The challenge was to achieve quality results based on one simple rule: "there are no rules." The participants in the Fashion Design Womenswear Master’s course, in fact, could freely interpret the script and the characters’ mood relying on their creativity and talent, with little more than one month to come to the selection board with a convincing proposal. The final phase of the project took place on 6 January, 2014: Istituto Marangoni and ENB staff selected Karen Shechori’s outstanding designs as the best among all entries received. Her costumes were worn by the English National Ballet dancers on 12 February, 2014, at the Great Hall, Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester, for a special 'pop up' pas de trois performance choreographed by Associate Artist George Williamson to music created by students at the Royal Northern College of Music.