LARGERFIELD FOR BALLET RUSSE

'If Fashion designers are not creating performance art with their fashion shows then they have been collaborating with theatre, designing the costumes and sets. Costume is an integral part to fashion, it gives designers an ability to be apart of a larger production and intertwines it with the world of dance, theatre and art. Ballet Russe was one of the most influential theatre companies of the early twentieth century. Ballet Russe revolutionised collaborations, integrating contemporary choreographers, composers, artists, designers and dancers. Dali, Picaso, Matisse, Bakst and Chanel were among those who created set designs and costumes for Ballet Rusee. The influence of the Ballets Russes lasts to this day, for example June 2009 saw Karl Largerfield design for the English Ballet Russe. There was vast appreciation for Largerfelds revived and refitted costumes for Apollo and The Dying Swan. Lagerfeld follows in the footsteps of Coco Chanel herself who designed costumes for both Le Train Bleu in 1924 and Apollon Musagete in 1929 in Paris. Chanel was also a supporter of the Ballet Russes founder Serge Diaghilev, due to their personal friendship.

Lagerfeld's design for the dancer Elena Glurdjidze in The Dying Swan was constructed and comprised of 2500 ostrich and a variety of other bird feathers. During the fitting session, Elena Glurdjidze dedicated an exclusive dance from The Dying Swan to Lagerfeld, this collaboration of the two ties fashion closer and tighter with performance art and therefore art.'

This is an extract from my dissertation, here i am linking performance art to fashion. I have found through my research that fashion most certainly has a level of performance art within it and always has, Fashion has a better link to the public then Art does and this in turn does make Fashion a more commercial arena.