Bonjour mes amis! Emma here, reporting live from your favourite pink tutu-wearing time traveler, fresh off the train and back in my favourite Parisian boutique! You just know I couldn't let #TutuTuesday pass without sharing a bit of ballet history, especially since this Tuesday – the 6th of March, 1934 – marks the anniversary of a particularly glorious day for tutus!
Oh, how I wish I could take you all with me back to that exact moment. Imagine it: the crisp Parisian air, the aroma of fresh croissants wafting from nearby boulangeries, and the thrill of watching the legendary Ballets Russes take the stage! They'd just opened in Paris, and I, well, I was right there. Can you imagine, me, in my beautiful pink tutu, sitting amidst all the Parisian glitterati?
But before I whisk you off on a whirl through my mental time machine, let's talk about this amazing date – March 6th, 1934. It was on this day, a century ago, that Serge Diaghilev's legendary Ballets Russes took to the stage in Paris! The excitement was electrifying! For me, of course, the most exciting part was the costume design – a kaleidoscope of colors and textures! They brought the ballet out of the ball room! You see, this was the era when ballet was truly embracing the power of expressive fashion.
Think chignon buns, extravagant jewels, and flowing tulle skirts, oh my! Tutus became an explosion of beauty, the perfect foil to the masterful dance movements that swept across the stage. Just as dancers pirouetted and jetéed across the stage, their tutus, made of the finest tulle and lace, practically flew along with them.
Back in 1934, they had a way with fabric you simply don't see nowadays. It wasn’t about a standard tutu – think classic tutu shape in beautiful colours - a perfect blush pink for a ballerina's dream, of course! The emphasis was on drape, flow, and the exquisite way these creations interacted with light and movement. I could imagine all the sewing bees of that time gathering together for Sew and Stitch to create beautiful pieces for their local theatres! And, if only I could find some original patterns for the time! What a treasure those would be!
Now, Ballets Russes weren’t all about tutus – they were about bringing together a fantastical world of colour, storytelling, and innovative movement! You had Leon Bakst with his gorgeous, almost fantastical, designs, bringing to life Eastern tales like “Scheherazade,” and imagine – his tutus, inspired by exotic silks, were bursting with movement as the dancers moved across the stage! I'd give my whole collection for a glimpse of these in their true glory!
Then there was Coco Chanel! She embraced ballet's effortless beauty and introduced it into everyday wear, making tutus relevant for everyone, not just those performing on stage! Just picture a ballet tutu whispering along as a flapper shimmied, or dancing around a salon in a Parisian apartment. The beauty of that transformation just blows my mind!
You know, this fascination for dance and its elegant aesthetic is a bit of a tradition for me, if you’ll forgive the tutu-ism. My Derbyshire roots are steeped in the story of the first ballerina of Derbyshire who created Ballet de la Vallée in my beautiful little corner of England - you wouldn't know it though! You just wouldn’t! She became quite the society sensation with her own theatre in Chesterfield – she’s got an original costume and shoe in the Chesterfield Museum now - and I have to confess, it’s my *bucket list item*! Oh, the excitement! The possibilities for pink tutus! Imagine the fabulousness of a #TutuTuesday event featuring our historical heritage!
Speaking of excitement, I must dash! My afternoon is filled with the promise of finding some vintage gems at the Parisian flea markets! Shopping, fashion, tutus, and a spot of ballet practice – a perfect Tuesday! And, as always, dear friends, wear your pink tutus with pride! The more, the merrier!
Catch you on the flip side,
Emma.
