Ballet inspiration
09:14Art collaborations that changed the world
Speaking about cultural context in fashion, Italian luxury brand Valentino seems to be the best example. It is common knowledge that Valentino Garavani was obsessed with ballet and stage since childhood when he has seen a movie "Ziegfeld Girl" (1941).
Let's
have a look at his couture stage costumes for New York City Ballet in 2012 that
reflects designer's signature, devoted to his motherland's heritage and
focused on Renaissance art. Elegant costumes are clean and masterly sculptured
with exceptionally expensive and perfect fabrics such as silk taffeta, organza
and lace.
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| Valentino for NYC ballet 2012 |
Such as
Italy created a new spiritual atmosphere of culture in the Middle Ages, Garavani
brought back feminine tulle gowns to the High Fashion. Wearing his
dress, women don't need to show much, to look impressive and stunning.
The
word "Renaissance" literally means "rebirth". Turning from
Medieval times, when church played the main role in people's life, the
Italian architectures, artist and scientists had placed human beings in the
center of life's stage and influenced the art with humanistic values, going
back to the Ancient Greece culture and principals. Ballet
as a form of art was also born in Italian Royal courts in 16th century and
highly spread in France by the end of 17th.
One of the key cultural figures, French artist Edgar Degas was especially identified with the subject of dance and beauty of the human's body. More then half of his work depict dancers, studied classic art, and female nude.
One of the key cultural figures, French artist Edgar Degas was especially identified with the subject of dance and beauty of the human's body. More then half of his work depict dancers, studied classic art, and female nude.
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| Edgar Degas. Dance classes |
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| Edgar Degas. Dance classes |
Ballet performers have always been a source of inspiration for fashion
designers, photographers, artist, etc. The way they dress, walk and keep their
body seems to be art itself. First
who initiated collaboration between fashion and ballet was Coco Chanel. In
1924 she created stage costumes for "Le Train Bleu" performance
by Serge Diaghilev. Yves
Saint Laurent was so inspired designing for a legendary ballerina Maya
Plisetskaya in 1973, that created a whole collection called "Russian
seasons" in 1976.
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Maya Plisetskaya performs in Yves Saint Laurant couture dress
1973
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In recent collections, one of the most discussing topics became
collaboration of Ricardo Tisci and Paris National Opera House. Men are wearing
dresses? Sounds like a scandal. The actors looked like naked Ancient
sculptures. Though the idea of such impressive costumes – a flash back to
the Greek theatre, emphasizing the body's beauty.
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| Richard Tisci's costumes |
Dries Van Notten, whose signature is creating comfortable and easy to wear clothes,
showed a Ready-to-Wear men's spring collection in 2015 inspired by outstanding
dancer Rudolph Nuriev. Perfectly styled looks from ballet pumps, open
neck shirts, straight leg pants proclaimed elegance, fluidity and sensuality in
men’s fashion.
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| Dries Van Notten RTW SS15 |
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| Dries Van Notten RTW SS15 |
In conclusion, we can sum up that
everything in the history goes around. Renaissance in fashion reminded us
timeless principles: pure beauty of the human's body, and the classical ballet
thanks to fashion became a symbol of aesthetic taste. Ballet comes to our life
in a magic moment from some book, painting or performance. It transforms to the
emotion and then to cloth.
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