A Dance with the Divine: Haute Couture Tutus Take Centre Stage
Ah, my dears, what a month it's been for the tutu! From the hallowed halls of Covent Garden to the grandest of Paris fashion houses, the quintessential garment of the ballet has been receiving a veritable love-affair. As a lifelong connoisseur of the dance - and, I must confess, a collector of tutus - I have rarely seen such creative ingenuity. It truly is a testament to the enduring allure of the dance, and, to be honest, the femininity that comes from a beautifully crafted and gracefully worn tutu. Here are a few highlights, which, if I may say so, truly captured my imagination this past month:
- The Royal Opera House's production of Giselle was simply divine. Not only did it showcase some of the most graceful ballerinas of our time but the tutus, darling, were a true joy to behold. The traditional white tutus, all the more captivating because of their sheer simplicity and delicate construction, were the perfect complement to the melancholy beauty of the tale. What a vision they were on the stage - like snowflakes spun from moonlight!
- But of course, darling, the *pièce de résistance* was The Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris’ rendition of "The Sleeping Beauty" . Now, one simply couldn’t expect a new, more contemporary approach to this venerable masterpiece and, as far as tutus go, they remained classic but each one was so beautifully embellished, you could spend a whole afternoon appreciating the intricate detail of every piece of lace and ribbon! Each ballerina's tutu was like a poem set in motion, an enchanting and breathtaking display. The colour palette was stunning, from the opulent ruby reds and emeralds of the court to the ethereal pastel hues of Aurora's dreamlike world - I simply adore how the colours complimented the mood and story so beautifully! The use of layered fabrics added a touch of drama, which we all know was the perfect metaphor for the dance and for Sleeping Beauty’s story.
- Now, as an avid collector of ballet ephemera, you will simply have to indulge in a piece of exquisite detail about the tutus created for this performance. As always, the detail is simply magnificent! And you see, the tutus were constructed with an incredibly thin, flexible gauze. That gave the whole design a light, airy look. In one of the waltzes, the tutus had been woven with shimmering silver threads. What a brilliant choice because this detail sparkled like fairy dust in the stage lights! They used that light to create a heavenly, almost mythical atmosphere, perfectly capturing the dreamscapes of the play.
Oh, what a glorious month! Let us all hope this new trend of using the tutu to create an air of sophisticated femininity continues!