Lacroix + Paris Opera Ballet = WOW

I love it when my two most favorite worlds intersect: high fashion and ballet.

There is a long history of fashion designers costuming different ballet companies.  Many have been great- Gilles Mendel with NYCB in 2010 was a lush, romantic fusion which perfectly upheld the dancers and the choreography.  Some have been strange, interfering or just bad -Stella McCartney’s creations for her father and NYCB’s recent collaboration, Ocean Kingdom, got very mixed reviews (read: pretty bad).

It’s hard to go wrong, however, with the triple threat of Christian Lacroix, romantic story ballet, and Swarovski.

Christian Lacroix and Nadja Swarovski with a costume for Paris Opera Ballet’s “La Source”.  Photo:Dominique Maitre.

Paris Opera Ballet asked Lacroix to design the costumes (132 total!) for its world premiere of “La Source”, a 19th century story ballet replete with fairies, elves, star crossed lovers, and a fantasy Persian backdrop.

A Lacroix sketch.  Photo: WWD

The results are truly spectacular!  So much so that I might need to hop over to Paris and see them in person before the Nov. 12th closing night.  Behold, a feast for the senses…

Photos: Anne Deniau / Opéra national de Paris