The Funk Boutique: The Season Ushers in a Bevy of Star-Studded Collabs—and Ballet

Here are some words the uniformed might use to describe ballet: “awkward,” “formal,” “slow,” “complex”… you get the gist.

Now, imagine a ballet full of beautiful silhouettes, iridescent fabrics and magical movement—that’s what the New York City Ballet (NYCB) will be giving us this fall as they’ve slotted Christopher John Rogers and Esteban Cortázar as the costume designers for this season’s ballet.

Rogers— a CFDA Award winner and one of this year’s finalists for the LMVH Prize, creator of a recent Target collab and designer of Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration outfit—can now add costume designer to his list of achievements. “I’ve never done it before,” Rogers tells Women’s Wear Daily, adding, “it’s something I’ve been interested in doing for a while.”

Rogers is known for his use of vibrant colors and bold patterns. He plans to keep his signature style in this year’s costumes but also plans to explore a different design aesthetic. Rogers expresses his excitement to work on layering different fabrics to bring about a—no pun intended—layer of iridescence to his work he hasn’t experimented with yet. “I think it’s a really great way that people all the way in the back row or even the front row can see [the] move[ment].”

The NYCB annual fall fashion gala—initially launched by Sarah Jessica Parker in 2012—will take place on September 30 at Lincoln Center and debut the costumes, new designers and choreographer’s work curated over the previous 18 months.

Though it is the first time Rogers and Cortázar have created costumes, their signature flair for billowing silhouettes and color will “usher in a new era” of diversity in fashion in ballet.

Unsure if our favorite international luxury brands are having some sort of competition to see which fashion house can drop the biggest bombshell, but I am here for it. Up until last week, when you thought of Lous Vuitton, Nike may not have been the first collaboration you had in mind. However, LV is changing the game, teaming up with the sneaker company to create a new spin on the iconic Air Force 1s. Not only are they redefining the shoe, they’re doing it in 21 different color schemes. Virgil Abloh, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear, expresses “fashion can make you feel like things are impossible,” and has bridged the gap between high fashion and luxury with streetwear elements that appeal to a younger generation.

The Spring 2022 collection is Abloh’s seventh collection with the house and is “taking the leap” to bridge the divide between a newer generation of suits—short, belted jackets paired with flowing pants and a pair of Air Force 1s—and embossed leather airbrushed jackets, all while blurring the lines of traditional gender identity.

Zaya Wade, daughter of Dwayne and Gabrielle Union-Wade, has been named one of Gucci’s VIPs—which means she got to wear a gorgeous Gucci ensemble to her latest panel. According to a press release provided to The Root, Wade was decked out in Gucci Epilogue look 72, a dark blue eco-washed GG jacquard short-sleeve top, eco-washed organic GG jacquard pants and silver metallic leather high heels. Oh—and she was one of the rare chosen ones to carry a Gucci Diana bag.

The 14-year-old wore this fit to the Maybelline New York + BraveTogether Pride Panel, which premiered on Tuesday and focused on mental health in the LGBTQ+ community.