Portraits: Ballets Russes/design perspectives: English National Ballet + London College of Fashion at the Victoria & Albert Museum

This was a special event celebrating the dynamic impact of the Ballets Russes on both ballet and design. Students from the London College of Fashion designed collections inspired by the Ballets Russes and created a film to record this exciting design process. A multi-media installation and performance by English National Ballet dancers took place before the screening in the Raphael Gallery. The spectacular shoes, clothes and accessories were showcased by English National Ballet Dancers in a specially choreographed performance and multimedia installation/exhibition.

During almost two years of collaboration, the project has:
Invited London College of Fashion students to see English National Ballet rehearsals, performances and explore the Ballets Russes through the Company’s archive of set and costumes; Given over 250 London College of Fashion students the opportunity to realise the fantastical embodiment of fashion and theatre, style and fantasy, couture and limitless design; Enabled selected students to make their fashion pieces in full to be showcased in photoshoots, film, performance and a live fashion exhibition at the V&A; Invited Artist Stina Quagebeur to make a choreography inspired by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes and the V&A’s exhibition Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes 1909 – 1929 Showcased the London College of Fashion students’ designs in two photoshoots at English National Ballet’s studios with ten dancers and with models at English National Ballet’s costume and set storage facility in Marden.