We all understand the impression left after a person walks by in a show-stopping outfit. But what if instead of walking, that same person was mastering foutté turns? Substitute the streets of Soho for the David H. Koch Theater and you might just be able to imagine the magnificence of the New York City Ballet Fall Fashion Gala.
Last night, dance and fashion collided once again this month as the New York City Ballet presented five ballets, each featuring original costumes by fashion designers to celebrate Lincoln Center's four week dance season. The fashion roster consisted of Zuhair Murad, Hanako Maeda, Peter Copping of Oscar De La Renta, the unstoppable design duo Marta Marques & Paulo Almeida of Marques'Almeida and our very own Humberto Leon.
Humberto's costumes were designed for the world premiere of New Blood by NYCB Resident Choreographer and Soloist Justin Peck and was set to Steve Reich's "Variations for Vibes, Pianos and Strings." Humberto and Justin were introduced by a mutual friend Marcel Dzama and when Justin asked Humberto to design the costumes for the premiere, Humberto immediately said yes. "Who would pass up an opportunity to work with Justin?" asked Humberto. The two had been working together for six months and it was during this time that Humberto in turn proposed to Justin to partner up on the Opening Ceremony Spring/Summer 2016 fashion show.
Read more HERE about how choreographer Justin Peck and Humberto Leon synchronized their creative visions in both movement and design.
