The term ‘Corybantic’ derives from the Greek Korybantes — armed and crested attendants of the goddess Cybele known for their wild, ecstatic dances. Drawing inspiration from this mythology, English choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s Corybantic Games for the Royal Ballet’s 2018 programme wove a narrative that delved into the depths of human emotions and the physicality of movement. Set against Leonard Bernstein’s Serenade after Plato’s “Symposium”, the ballet notably featured costumes designed by A#24 curator Erdem Moralioglu, and marked the designer’s first foray into menswear.
Ballet and fashion have long been intertwined, with the relationship blossoming in French couture upon the 1909 arrival of the Ballets Russes in Paris. Figures at the foundation of fashion, such as Paul Poiret and Jeanne Lanvin, were immediately drawn to the legerity and freedom of movement exemplified by the ballet, eschewing the corset which was still popular at the dawn the 20th century. The ballerina became a muse, her perfect form and beauty resonating throughout Paris and inspiring notions of femininity — including those of Christian Dior. The legendary French designer’s New Look gave many nods to ballet, an aesthetic appreciation that was extended to his successor Yves Saint Laurent. Today, contemporary fashion continues to shape and be shaped by ballet, from A#13 curator Iris Van Herpen’s collaboration with the Dutch National Ballet to Miu Miu’s Autumn Winter 2022 precipitation of ‘Balletcore’.
Returning to the Royal Opera House stage in 2023, the second rendition of Corybantic Games revives the collaboration between Erdem Moralioglu and the Royal Ballet, with the new costumes designed in a creative partnership with Christopher Wheeldon. Drawn to the grace and elegance exhibited by the ballet since childhood, Erdem’s homage to the discipline is expressed in A Magazine Curated By Erdem, through a portfolio of Royal Ballet danseurs photographed on medium format by the designer himself.
Behind-the-scenes imagery of 2023 Corybantic Games fittings, also photographed by Erdem, complements an exclusive interview below.