Vivienne Westwood Romances the Vienna Ballet

The Vienna State Ballet rang in the New Year with opulent style.  British designer Vivienne Westwood created costumes for the ballet dancers performing during intermission at a New Year’s Day concert in Austria.   

The fashion icon’s tulle and post-punk tartan looks took inspiration from her Spring 2014 collection.  The romantic aesthetic was then pushed to functional fantasy as each costume was custom tailored to the dancers
in silk taffeta ball gowns or bespoke menswear. 

While some of the costumes initially looked to have traditional silhouettes, you can see the deeper, darker coloring in the rich taffeta hues paired with sexy, unusual ruching in the bodices and skirts.  Black satin ballet shoes often replaced traditional baby pink.  Super-short pleated miniskirts in plaid replace the conventional tutu prove that VivienneWestwood will always be punk’s Godmother.  

I can’t imagine a more gorgeous way to start 2014.  Can you?
Photos by ORF/Günther Pichlkostner

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The Tutu Project

The National Ballet of Canada celebrated its 60th anniversary with a fashionable bang.  They asked top Canadian fashion designers to design their take on iconic ballet costume item, the tutu.

The relationship of fashion designers creating costumes for the ballet is a popular one. Coco Chanel designed garb for George Balanchine's ballet, Apollo in 1929. Garth Pugh recently designed edgy pieces for a new production of Carbon Life at the Royal Opera House. One of the most famous ballet/designer collaborations was Rodarte's work for the film, Black Swan.

The designers of the exhibit took this very seriously, and many elevated them to art with their inspirations:

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Rodarte Costumes the NYC Ballet Spring Gala

Kate and Laura Mulleavy designed costumes for Academy Award winning movie Black Swan with great fanfare (and controversy).  The gorgeous feathered costumes for Natalie Portman were as much the star as the Oscar winner herself.

Since then, the Rodarte designers have been on a roll with theatrical dressing.  They have collaborated with the Dutch National Ballet and just debuted the clean, modern, stripe costumes for the New York City Ballet
Spring Gala pictured above.  The team was a reunion of Black Swan creatives, with choreographer/dancer (and husband to Natalie Portman post-movie) Benjamin Millepied and the actress herself as gala chairman.

Up next?  The Mulleavy sisters are working on costumes for the opera.  Specifically, the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Don Giovanni.   

I'm hoping they will tackle Broadway next...How about an update on Jekyll and Hyde?
Photo from racked.com

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Rodarte Costumes for Black Swan

Black Swan, the dark, ballet thriller by Darren Aronofsky opened Friday.  In fashion, all of the buzz has been going to the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte.  They designed seven of the edgy, Goth-chic costumes for the stylish movie.  The theme of "duality" played out on stage and off.  

For Prince Siegfried's character, the designers were inspired by mechanical birds.  The costume is vividly detailed with floral embroidered cheesecloth and distressed velvet.  Odette's costume is a constructed pancake shaped tutu.  It was embellished with white angora wool to emulate branches growing up the skirt.  

This may be the first film for Kate and Laura Mulleavy, but the designers have previously found horror and ballet to be muses for their collection.  

Update 1/31/11: While the Mulleavy sisters received many accolades for the fashionable look of this film, one hard-working designer has been left out of the spotlight.  In an interview for film style blog Clothes on Film, Award-winning costume designer Amy Westcott noted that while Rodarte may have been responsible for seven looks, there were many other costumes that were created by herself and Zack Brown.  

Ms. Westcott also clarified the difference between a fashion designer's role and her own position.  A fashion designer may conceptualize looks for the screen.  However, a true film costumer researches every tone and color on film, wear-tests each costume and is on set every day to ensure the comfort of the actors.

Amy Westcott Sketch

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