Ballet Critics Slam Lagerfeld`s Costumes

While fashion critics were quick to offer praise for Lagerfeld`s costumes, ballet critics launched a pelting of criticism.

Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld thrilled fashion critics with his ballet costumes, however, ballet critics did not share their views, Lagerfeld, who said that ballet has always been an inspiration for him, has left a great impression on shoe designer Beatrice Ong, who believes his dresses are wonderful.

- The feathers [were] placed just so, so that they fluttered so wonderfully with the dancer`s movements. The elongated neck depicted the bird perfectly with such elegance - Ong said.

While fashion critics were quick to offer praise for Lagerfeld`s costumes, ballet critics launched a pelting of criticism. Sarah Crompton told the Daily Telegraph that she believes Lagerfeld has designed an “awful outfit”:

- An awful outfit that put Elena Glurdjidze`s Dying Swan in a feathered neck brace, which did nothing to aid her performance of Anna Pavlova`s favourite party piece - Crompton claims.

- Glurdjidze`s tutu was conceived with cavalier disregard for the ballerina`s working body - the line of the neck broken by an egregious, fluffy ruff, the waistline broken by a too-high skirt – Judith Mackrell of the Guardian said.

The English National Ballet decided to mark the centennial of the French Ballets Russes ballet troop, founded by Sergei Diaghilev in 1909. The idea was to perform the ballets all season long which featured brilliant Ninjinsky, Balanchine and other stars of Russian ballet.

Lagerfeld was chosen to design the costumes, who followed the footsteps of Chanel founder, Madam Coco. She designed costumes for two ballet performances in Paris, 1929.