Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy recently announced that they are taking their ethereal aesthetics to the stage, outfitting the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” opening in May. This is the first such project for the sisters, who created the ballet costumes for Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan,” but they’re the latest in a line of fashion designers who have tried their hands making opera costumes. Former Tatler fashion editor Helena Matheopoulos chronicled the trend in her book “Fashion Designers at the Opera,” writing about Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, who brought the feminine ruffles of the French fashion house to “Les Contes d’Hoffmann”; Gianni Versace, who lent the dancers in “Capriccio” his whimsical flair; and Miuccia Prada, who added the Prada touch to “Attila.” Although the resulting looks are distinctly different, the designers all took a distinctly operatic approach to their assignments.
It will be a few months before we get to see Rodarte’s “Don Giovanni” costumes, but “Fashion Designers at the Opera” is a great look in the meantime.
Click through to the photo gallery to see the operatic costumes by Karl Lagerfeld, Prada, Versace, and more.