(Hat "Anna Pavlova" designed by me in my Atelier for the Collection "Je Ne Regrette Rien", 2008. Photographed by Zorz Studios.)I have to say that Ballet was always one of the sources of great inspiration for me both in my work and in my life. My first recollection of Ballet goes back to the age of 3 when my Mother brought me to the Big Theatre to see "Swan Lake" for the very first time. I remember being completely mesmerized by the performance, music, dancers and, of course, costumes. I fell in love with the Ballet itself and became a very frequent visitor to the Theater.
(Hat "Anna Pavlova" designed by me in my Atelier for The Collection "Je Ne Regrette Rien", St. Regis Hotel, New York 2008. Photographed by Zorz Studios)Not only did I see every single Ballet performance for every Season for the next 10 years, I have begged my Mother to buy me pointe shoes so that I could, at least, pretend to be one of the chosen ones - ballerinas. Pointe Shoes were a treasure that could not be obtained so easily in my country, but, somehow, my Mother was able to make my dream come true.
( Editorial Hat "Farewell: Tribute to Ekaterina Maksimova", in dedication to Legendary Prima-Ballerina of Russian Ballet who passed away several weeks ago. I have designed this hat as part of my latest Collection "Russia Divine.Tribute")They were perfect: stain in beautiful dusty pink color, they smelled like new leather and fabric. I remember putting them on for the first time - the moment of overwhelming joy, pure happiness.
Although I was "not built for being ballerina", my sister was the lucky one! I have watched her training endlessly to the point of blisters and tears. She ate, slept, watched TV, she lived in pointe shoes. With unimaginable dedication she polished to perfection "arabesque penchée". Once, while perfecting it she knocked out of the ceiling my mother's proud possession - crystal chandelier!:-)))
I am not the only one, of course, who is inspired by Russian ballet.Coco Chanel, for example, was known for creating divine costumes for the Serge Diaghilev's Ballet. She was not only the designer of the costumes but also very close friend and confidante of Diaghilev. In 2009 extraordinary Karl Lagerfeld in continuation of the tradition, designed spectacular costume of Prima- ballerina for the ‘The Dying Swan’ part of the English National Ballet’s main performance, the ‘Ballets Russes’ season at Sadler’s Wells theatre in London.
Harper's Bazaar UK, June 2009 had fantastic article about the history of Diaghilev's Seasons, friendship with Coco and, among other beautiful pictures, I especially enjoyed the picture of Chanel dress for Russian ballerina Elena Glurdjidze.
Reportedly, it took more than 100 hours and thousands of feathers to assemble divine costume of "Dying Swan". Needless to say - everything was done by hand only!
I simply have to say several words about the name behind the hat I created for "Je Ne Rgerette Rien" - Anna Pavlova. She is regarded as one of the most famous and popular classical ballet dancers in history and was most noted as a Principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. Pavlova is most recognised for the creation of the role "The Dying Swan" and with her own company, would become the first ballerina to tour ballet around the world.
Anna Pavlova was born in 1881 in Ligovo, a suburb of St. Petersburg, then the capital of the Russian Empire. Her mother was an impoverished laundress named Lyubov Pavlova. The identity of her father has been open to debate.
Anna's passion for the art of ballet was sparked when her mother took her to a performance of Marius Petipa's original production of "The Sleeping Beauty" at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre. The lavish spectacle made a profound impression on the young Pavlova, and at the age of eight her mother took her to audition for the renowned Imperial Ballet School. She was rejected due to her age and for what was considered to be a "sickly" physique, but she was finally accepted at the age of ten in 1891.
Pavlova's years at the Imperial Ballet School were difficult. Ballet technique did not come easily to the young Pavlova. Her extremely arched feet, thin ankles, and long limbs clashed with the small, compact body which was at that time in favor for the ballerina. Her fellow students taunted her with such nicknames as "The broom" and La petite sauvage. Undeterred, Pavlova trained relentlessly to improve her technique.
While touring in Netherlands, Pavlova was told that she had pleurisy and needed an operation. She was also told that she would never be able to dance again if she had this operation so she refused to have the operation saying "If I can't dance then I'd rather be dead." Three weeks later she died of pleurisy, three weeks short of her 50th birthday. She was holding her costume from "The Dying Swan" when she spoke her last words: "Play the last measure very softly."...
In accordance with old ballet tradition, on the day she was to have next performed, the show went on as scheduled, with a single spotlight circling an empty stage where she would have been. Memorial services were held in the Russian Orthodox Church in London. Anna Pavlova was cremated, and her ashes placed in a columbarium at Golders Green Crematorium, where her urn was subsequently adorned with her ballet shoes...
Although I was "not built for being ballerina", my sister was the lucky one! I have watched her training endlessly to the point of blisters and tears. She ate, slept, watched TV, she lived in pointe shoes. With unimaginable dedication she polished to perfection "arabesque penchée". Once, while perfecting it she knocked out of the ceiling my mother's proud possession - crystal chandelier!:-)))
I am not the only one, of course, who is inspired by Russian ballet.Coco Chanel, for example, was known for creating divine costumes for the Serge Diaghilev's Ballet. She was not only the designer of the costumes but also very close friend and confidante of Diaghilev. In 2009 extraordinary Karl Lagerfeld in continuation of the tradition, designed spectacular costume of Prima- ballerina for the ‘The Dying Swan’ part of the English National Ballet’s main performance, the ‘Ballets Russes’ season at Sadler’s Wells theatre in London.
Harper's Bazaar UK, June 2009 had fantastic article about the history of Diaghilev's Seasons, friendship with Coco and, among other beautiful pictures, I especially enjoyed the picture of Chanel dress for Russian ballerina Elena Glurdjidze.
Reportedly, it took more than 100 hours and thousands of feathers to assemble divine costume of "Dying Swan". Needless to say - everything was done by hand only!
I simply have to say several words about the name behind the hat I created for "Je Ne Rgerette Rien" - Anna Pavlova. She is regarded as one of the most famous and popular classical ballet dancers in history and was most noted as a Principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. Pavlova is most recognised for the creation of the role "The Dying Swan" and with her own company, would become the first ballerina to tour ballet around the world.
Anna Pavlova was born in 1881 in Ligovo, a suburb of St. Petersburg, then the capital of the Russian Empire. Her mother was an impoverished laundress named Lyubov Pavlova. The identity of her father has been open to debate.Anna's passion for the art of ballet was sparked when her mother took her to a performance of Marius Petipa's original production of "The Sleeping Beauty" at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre. The lavish spectacle made a profound impression on the young Pavlova, and at the age of eight her mother took her to audition for the renowned Imperial Ballet School. She was rejected due to her age and for what was considered to be a "sickly" physique, but she was finally accepted at the age of ten in 1891.
Pavlova's years at the Imperial Ballet School were difficult. Ballet technique did not come easily to the young Pavlova. Her extremely arched feet, thin ankles, and long limbs clashed with the small, compact body which was at that time in favor for the ballerina. Her fellow students taunted her with such nicknames as "The broom" and La petite sauvage. Undeterred, Pavlova trained relentlessly to improve her technique.
While touring in Netherlands, Pavlova was told that she had pleurisy and needed an operation. She was also told that she would never be able to dance again if she had this operation so she refused to have the operation saying "If I can't dance then I'd rather be dead." Three weeks later she died of pleurisy, three weeks short of her 50th birthday. She was holding her costume from "The Dying Swan" when she spoke her last words: "Play the last measure very softly."...
In accordance with old ballet tradition, on the day she was to have next performed, the show went on as scheduled, with a single spotlight circling an empty stage where she would have been. Memorial services were held in the Russian Orthodox Church in London. Anna Pavlova was cremated, and her ashes placed in a columbarium at Golders Green Crematorium, where her urn was subsequently adorned with her ballet shoes...
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