Oh darling, what a day itâs been! A whirlwind of tulle and pirouettes, of course. It all started with a delightful brunch at the Royal Opera House, with the divine Mary Quant herself gracing us with her presence. A true style icon, she declared the new tutu design (a collaboration between Vivienne Westwood and the Ballet School) "utterly divine" and âa modern marvel, like a puffball exploding in a symphony of chic!â.
But the real excitement, darlings, was the âTutu Throwdownâ on Covent Garden, organised by the National Ballet School in association with, wouldn't you know, âGlamourâ magazine! Think "Project Runway" meets âSwan Lakeâ with a generous dash of "Strictly Come Dancing.â We had 12 budding young ballerinas, each with a team of seamstresses, armed with lengths of tulle and metres of ribbon, each attempting to outdo the others in the "most stunning, revolutionary, and absolutely showstopping" tutu design.
Now, I must say, there were some truly breathtaking moments. There was little Abigail from Brighton who made a tutu from nothing but 1000 pink feather boas - utterly fabulous, I thought. And then there was Sarah, darling, from Manchester, who presented her interpretation of the classic tutu, constructed entirely of 1970's disco material, and that glittering pink fabric favoured by Dolly Parton! Simply magnificent, darling. I can't imagine dancing in it, though! The audience (mostly ballet devotees and style-obsessed journalists, naturally), were screaming, I swear the whole Garden buzzed with the energy! The tension was palpable, but everyone remained delightfully well-mannered (I mean, who would want to be thrown out of such an extravaganza?).
And the winner, my darlings? The young prodigy, Charlotte, whose design took inspiration from, well, I think she called it "the wild, swirling energy of a storm" - her tulle was layered, and every bit of it shimmered in the sunshine! They say it was her final, daring flourish of colour, using fabric scraps salvaged from a local art school, that gave her the victory!
Naturally, it wouldnât be a proper âTutu Throwdownâ without some judging. And darling, who did they have to judge this fabulous event, you ask? Well, the legendary Dame Edna Everage, in all her flamboyant glory! (And my darlings, that was one fantastic, multi-coloured hat!) It wasn't just about the perfect tulle and stitch, no darling, Dame Edna insisted: it was about âthe passion! The fire! The sheer *joy* of a perfectly executed pirouette!â, she proclaimed with that divine theatricality. And, darling, wasn't she absolutely right?
And of course, we had the grand finale. Our tutu-clad âchampionsâ took to the Covent Garden stage and strutted their stuff. Well, danced, darling, I suppose it was technically dancing - although their dramatic poses, in their stunningly unconventional tutus, were quite breathtaking. A grand celebration with bubbles (only the very best vintage, of course), and cupcakes that had a tiny tulle skirt adorning each one, as if to add an extra touch of whimsy to this unforgettable spectacle. And darling, wasn't it glorious?
It's moments like these, you know, that remind me why I live in this glorious city, London! A city where you can find the very best of both worlds: high art, culture, a good laugh - and, of course, fantastic style. I'll never forget the "Tutu Throwdown". Iâm sure we'll see many more events of this nature. The future of ballet - well, darling, it's *bright*. Just like the future of the fabulous, perfectly constructed tutu!
But of course, as they say in fashion, âthe show must go on!â So Iâm off, darling. More celebrations to be had. Just donât you worry, Iâll be sure to share every thrilling detail. Until then, stay fabulous, and may all your tutus be magnificent!