As a designer, it is really important to pay attention to what is going on culturally and to look for inspiration in our surroundings. Before becoming a textile designer I was a ballerina and often look to ballet for print and trim inspiration. The costumes, the textiles, the music, and the drive to perfection are all part of what make this art form so magical. Currently, the V&A Museum has an exhibit entitled, “Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes.” The exhibit features over “300 objects including giant theatre cloths, original costumes, set designs, props and posters by artists and designers,” who were under the direction of artistic director Serge Diaghilev. If you can’t make it to the show, the V&A website has some amazing photographs and information for you to do your own research.
And then….to my absolute delight I stumbled across Black Swan, a psychological thriller which follows the competitive world of ballet. The trailer looks awesome and has a rockin’ female cast featuring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Winona Ryder. Black Swan comes out December 3rd and I can’t wait to see if it lives up to the world it imitates.
