The Power of Love

February 9, 2010

No tale better expresses a little girl’s dream of lasting love than that of the handsome prince wakening the beautiful princess from her long dark slumber. On a personal note, I was never very taken by this illusion, but, I have to admit that the age old story, filled with fairies and witches, wedding court scenes and rambling bushes protecting an empire for 100 sleepy years, was definitely a gift for my imagination. So last Thursday night, when I saw the NYC ballet presentation of Tschaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty, I was definitely enchanted by the extraordinary staging, exquisite costumes and phenomenal choreography of Peter Martin’s ballet masterpiece. But much more compelling was the subtle, delicate strength and grace of the dancer’s movements. Ballet is all about feminine details; absolute stillness, perfect balance, and powerful bursts of emotion. The magical color palette that saturates the stage produces a feast of soft beauty. It may not be reality, but the fantasy is worth the moment.

Ballet is, to me, the perfect correlation to the essence of true lingerie. It is all about romantic fancy expressed by the discipline of detail. No other designer better embodies this than England’s Jane Woolrich. From her atelier in northern England, Jane’s personal devotion is translated into designs recognized worldwide for their delicate detail, exquisite handwork and excellent fit. Bias cut nightwear that float in clouds around the body are still made with leavers laces that are hand cut, appliquéd, ruched, and pleated. Tiny ribbons and pearls add mystery to garments draped in silk, cotton voile and the finest satins. They are the quintessential expression of passion and the power of love and, the ultimate Valentine’s gift.

“The ballet is a purely female thing: it is a woman, a garden of beautiful flowers….” George Ballanchine.