Hong Kong Ballet traces fashion ties from stage to runway
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
September has brought a two-week fashion event to Hong Kong with the third Hong Kong Fashion Fest, where Hong Kong Ballet has been invited to perform on the runway. In a commentary, executive director Li Yixuan (李易璇) argues that the relationship between ballet and fashion stretches back nearly two centuries and has repeatedly reshaped both stage costume and luxury design. She points to historical collaborations involving Marie Taglioni, Coco Chanel, George Balanchine and Van Cleef & Arpels as milestones in that exchange. She also says Hong Kong Ballet has continued that tradition through projects with international luxury brands and, last year, through sustainable costume-making with local designers
Key Points
- The third Hong Kong Fashion Fest is being held in Hong Kong over two weeks in September, and Hong Kong Ballet was invited to perform on the catwalk
- Li Yixuan wrote that a key early turning point came in 1832, when Swedish dancer Marie Taglioni wore a light white tulle skirt and danced en pointe
- According to the commentary, Taglioni’s appearance, including visible legs and elongated movement lines, changed how designers viewed dancers’ proportions and posture
- In 1924, Coco Chanel designed costumes for Ballets Russes’ Le Train Bleu, a production also involving Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso
- Li said Hong Kong Ballet worked last year with local designers on sustainable costumes using recycled fabrics and low-carbon dyeing technology
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong audiences, the piece frames ballet not only as a performing art but also as part of the city’s wider fashion and design ecosystem. It also suggests that collaborations between arts groups and designers can turn costume production into a testing ground for sustainability, craftsmanship and local creative partnerships