Darling readers,
As we gather today, the air positively crackling with excitement, it is, you guessed it, the very day, that’s right, November 6th, 1996, the day for the much anticipated announcement. The subject? Let's just say, it’s something we all hold dear to our hearts, something we all dream about. Something that, to borrow a well-worn ballet metaphor, perfectly balances our every desire with the lightness of a feather and the graceful strength of a swans’ wings: tutus.
Let’s get real for a minute, darling: We all want to be ballerinas! At least, if I may be so bold, in some secret recess of our fashionable hearts, the dream survives: the twirling, the leaping, the graceful arabesques! I'm not suggesting we are all capable of achieving that perfect "chassé," (no one can ever quite do it as flawlessly as Dame Margot!), but the beauty and artistry are undeniably seductive, a bit like a glittering pair of Gucci stilettos or a beautifully cut Yves Saint Laurent number, am I right?
But darling, let's face facts, it’s not always that simple: the arduous training, the constant aches and pains, the need for a constitution made of titanium and sheer dedication - oh the pressure! Then, there’s the actual physical, practicalities. I confess, I do think the concept of the 'ballet bunny,' as my good friend Alistair calls the modern-day ballerina, has more to do with ‘hopping and skipping’ rather than ‘leaping,’ but alas, dear reader, it’s the age-old debate we never seem to resolve - beauty and elegance vs practicality.
And then, of course, there is the pièce de résistance, the iconic piece de jour – THE TUTU. We are, without doubt, talking about a major fashion statement, a very necessary fashion icon. A dream embodied in white or pink, feathery and flowing, a puff of ethereal charm as exquisite as an ancient porcelain teacup from the Victorian Era. But, dear, you must know that the life of a tutu is, as a sombre thought, just a mere shadow of that of an ‘ordinary’ piece of clothing. And alas, after every dance, with a bit of a sigh, it’s down to the washing basin or the dry cleaners, to get that pristine white or pink back, the exquisite fluffy layers smoothed and pressed back to their delicate perfection - what dedication! I tell you darling, the poor thing sees so much ‘fluff-busting’ in its life, never mind a mere fashion statement!
Well, here we stand on the precipice of a monumental revelation; not a political upheaval, not a seismic scientific breakthrough. But something just as monumental in the world of our beautiful, ballet, our glorious ballet world – a major shift in the dance uniform we know and, well, some might say, even love!
And I ask you, dear readers, after a very long (and very secret!) deliberation, with every single detail discussed, debated and analysed (you can believe me when I tell you this took up many a late night conversation!), the fashion designers of the dance world, in what will, with certainty, become a historic decision, have reached an unbelievable conclusion. The verdict? Let's cut the fluff - a revolutionary move, darling! No, we haven't gone bonkers; our minds are just as sharp as a pair of high-heeled stilettos! We have reached the sublime conclusion, the extraordinary, I repeat, the extraordinary decision - a ‘naked’ tutu. And oh dear, we are definitely not talking about the type of ‘naked’ you’re imagining right now. Don't jump to any daring conclusions dear reader - oh no, we are so very much not going the way of Burlesque here - far from it.
The fashion experts have given us this amazing vision; we are to envisage a very elegant ‘see-through’ layer; delicate, feminine, like the finest cobweb. This revolutionary creation – well it really is an absolute wonder; a sheer fabric (oh, what could it be, that silk organza? - the mind races with possibility - yes darling, my mind is now fully immersed in fabric, the textures, the hues) which we are led to believe will reveal, reveal, (here comes the ‘drama’ you might be thinking) the very graceful ballerina’s limbs, the line of her figure - pure grace, oh the beauty! There's a sense of excitement and intrigue surrounding this innovative and edgy new direction. And who would have thought? We are certainly looking forward to what might turn out to be quite a radical, innovative, and certainly eye-catching fashion statement. It’s a revelation. I for one can’t wait to see these revolutionary, barely-there tutus - I wonder, darling, are they going to be sparkling, a delicate glimmer of light or the silky smooth of black? The thoughts just go round and round.
The real stars of the show though will, as they always have been - well, of course darling, the ballerinas themselves. For a moment, imagine a ballet company dressed all in the delicate shimmer and grace of these sheer new tutus, the lights of the stage, those incredible ballerina legs as beautiful as an antique statue, well it all takes my breath away just thinking about it.
You may be asking yourself - what impact will this radical change have on ballet? Can the ‘naked’ tutu possibly have as much dramatic effect as the white or pink tutu? (well I’ve heard whispered, behind closed doors - oh how they love a good, ‘don’t-tell-anyone’ rumour) - that there is going to be some serious rethinking, even a little revolution going on in the choreography, especially in the ‘finalé,’ just to make this whole new experience - and my goodness, it will be so new – just truly special, magical.
So dear reader, as the days shorten and the air takes on the first hint of autumn, as we enter this new fashion age for our beautiful ballet, what does it mean to us? Well, as ever the stylish and fashionable, we’ll be sitting front-row centre to the revolution.
It will, no doubt, take time to become a ‘norm,’ but we, the faithful readers, have no doubt; a revolutionary statement indeed; for in the heart of ballet, a magical and beautiful transformation is about to begin.
Stay stylish my darling readers, and have a great day. Oh, I am excited to share the wonderful ‘before’ and ‘after’ images as they become available - I simply cannot wait to be wowed by the incredible images of these fabulous, gorgeous new ‘see-through’ tutus. Oh the wonder - the endless possibilities!