Fashion, by nature, is often experienced in stillness—on a runway, a mannequin, or a hanger. Dance disrupts that stillness, activating each garment through movement. As the body moves, fabric flows, silhouettes expand, and textures awaken, revealing the designer’s intent in real time.
Ballet has long served as the foundation discipline, providing dancers with rigorous strength, poise, and mental focus. Often seen as the highest expression of grace, it’s a living art that centres on formalised technique and visual unity.
While these principles were perfected in the ballet studio, they also orbited in the ateliers of Coco Chanel. In the early 20th century, she forged a close friendship with Sergei Diaghilev, the man behind Ballets Russes, whose influence became instrumental in her creative universe. Her support went beyond mere appreciation as she helped finance seminal productions, such as the 1913 The Rite of Spring, and contributed stage attire to the 1924 Le Train Bleu.
This dialogue between dance and fashion continues to inspire today, with Chanel serving as a principal patron of the Paris Opera Ballet and its 2024-launched Junior Ballet division. A cradle for artistic horizons, the Junior Ballet tours France and beyond, bringing young dancers aged 18 to 23 into the spotlight, while connecting audiences with a repertoire of classic and contemporary works.
In its second season, the Junior Ballet team recently made its Asian debut at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in Kuala Lumpur, welcoming long-time admirers and newcomers to an exclusive two-day programme. The show featured several stage works, including a memorable piece by Julian Nicosia titled Eternal Rift, with costumes specially designed by Chanel. Comprising 11 dancers, the work explored what Nicosia described as “a quiet divide running through time and skin, unseen but always felt”—a choreographic language that was both physical and abstract.
The short but enriching visit also included a public class and participatory workshops, where participants from all walks of life came together through dance. Pupils from Lycée Francais Kuala Lumpur and local ballet schools attended performances, dress rehearsals, and a special dance lesson, giving them an insider’s view before the curtain rose.
