observations 9/12

This is a drop dead gorgeous coffee table book. Oh my goodness. While the choreography for which these costumes were designed was mostly forgettable -- with the exception of the brilliant Spectral Evidence by Angelin Preljocaj, Polaris by Myles Thatcher, and Belles Lettres by Justin Peck -- the costumes were nearly always a hit. We've always wondered why the Fall Fashion Gala tradition is said to have begun in 2012 when, in fact, Stella McCartney contributed major designs the previous fall.

The costumes are glorious, the photography is stunning, and the textual feel of the book is rich. On Amazon.

Haglund's all-time, forever favorites by Valentino (ohhh to touch that silk):

 

Comments

[Jeannette]

I wondered why they’d have a book on a bunch of klunkers but now I see. Will have to look for it, Haglund. (Yes, I enjoyed Belles Lettres’ lilac outfits, too.)

I’m hoping that there also may be a book of essays on the ballets. I remember and have all of the wonderful books from the 25th and 50th anniversaries…Kirstein & Swope’s gorgeous “New York City Ballet” tome by Knopf in 1973, for ex. Or the more modest tomes, with essays, in 1997 (“NYCB: A Celebration in Photographs,” sponsored by Kodak.)

[Haglund]

It's such a beautiful book that highlights the details of the costumes that we can't see from the audience. The woman's costume for Liam Scarlett's Funérailles by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen is literally an art piece.

Lol, forgot to mention how incredibly beautiful all the dancers are (Mearns, Miller, Staker, Boisson, Nadon, Bradley, Grant, Chan, Furlan, Garcia, Knight) but, really, everyone already knows that.

[Allie Kenney]

Though the Valentino costumes may have been great, I will never forget how unfortunate some of the shoe color choices were -- in particular, the bright red toe shoes that were so unflattering on one principal, her ankles in particular.

I will also never forget that was the week I saw Mr Valentino and a couple of his friends at an exhibition at the Met Museum.