Erté's
This project focused on the realisation of the costumes for the 1980 Glyndebourne opera production of 'Der Rosenkavalier',
designed by Erté.
As Richard Strauss' opera plays with the infinite possibilities of cross-dressing, the chorus girl design offered a great opportunity to create an illusion of gender and age.
The male model wears a 'waspie' corset that enhances a more feminine waistline while giving his diaphragm enough space to expand. Lawn drawers and chemise feature flock-printed Erté roses and are adjustable in length to accommodate body growth. The bolero jacket lining corresponds with Erté's stage design for the Third Act in which the children chorus appears. The construction process included research into the original production and took the movement of the singer into consideration while it aimed to blur the lines of gender dress codes.