"A talent that bursts forth only rarely"…"The new hope of Israeli fashion"… Those were typical responses to Claudette Zorea's collection upon her graduation from the Shenkar School of Technology and Design in 2003.

Her black collection, inspired by Parisian night life at the beginning of the 20th century and the paintings of Toulouse-Lautrec, made a huge impression and won her colleagues' appreciation, as well as an invitation to collaborate with the influential fashion guru Jean-Paul Gaultier, who recognized her unique talent and personality.

And she is indeed unique. Growing up in a Parisian suburb as the daughter of a professional seamstress of haute couture, early on Claudette discovered a passion for the world of fashion, a love of fabrics, and a fascination with the miracle of turning almost everything into clothes.

She moved to Israel at the age of 22, and joined Kibbutz Maagan Michael. She got married, bore four daughters, and only at age 34 could no longer resist pursuing her lifelong dream.

Since graduating, Claudette has participated in several fashion events in Israel and abroad, including:

Trieste, Italy - The international fashion event ITS#TWO sponsored by the Italian Diesel brand. A few months later she was again invited by ITS# to present her works at a communal artistic exhibition in Brussels and had the opportunity to meet the top professionals in Belgian fashion.

Tokyo, Japan - Participated in an Onward Kashiyama fashion event and was awarded the Best Collection for Womenswear prize by Jean-Paul Gaultier, guest of honor at the event.

London, England - A four month-long collaboration with Marks and Spencer's menswear design department.

Israel - Helped design the 2003-2004 summer and winter womenswear and menswear collections for the Gershon Bram Fashion House.

Additional prizes include: Annual Excellence Award for the design of a menswear shirt, in Albini, Italy, in 2001, and the Annual Excellence Awards from Shenkar College in 2001 and 2002 for leather and tailoring projects.

Claudette Zorea was chosen by the distinguished members of IcExcellence Advisory Board for Fashion: Shira Breuer, Riki Gindes and Gershon Bram.

Press Reviews:
"Zorea brings her personal touch, which changes the entire picture…and that is reflected in the clothes she wore to meet me: a heavy cotton coat cut to hug her feminine waist, and classic black pants with prestigious chic and a little wink of naughtiness that fit her frame perfectly. And yes, these are from her personal collection."
Itai A. Gurevitch, Time Out, June 2004

"My favorite is unquestionably Claudette Zorea - the black flower of the class of 2003 - who created a spectacular, elegant and enticing collection that is unparalleled."
Karen Arnolds, 42 Magazine, 2003

"There's no gimmick to Zorea's clothes. No winking colors, no frills or flickering print combinations, but rather a quiet presence that penetrates deep. Sophistication that doesn't shout its existence; hidden quality that is evident to those who know how to appreciate excellent shape, a smart cut, fine fabrics and the small details that make all the difference."
Shira Breuer, Haaretz, 2005

"It is indisputable that Zorea is one of the most brilliant designers to emerge from Shenkar in recent years. [The clothes] were designed in a free line that testifies not only to great technical skill but also to daring, ingenuity and a search for original creations."
Haaretz, 2005

"Her wonderful talent in the field bonded her, ripe and ready, to the international fashion industry (and collaborating with Jean-Paul Gaultier, among others)."
At Magazine, Promises 2004, 2004

Top 2 pictures:
From Claudette’s final project collection at Shenkar, also presented in Trieste, Italy.

Bottom 2 pictures:
From Claudette’s new 2005 collection.