Fashion and dance have long shared a creative pas de deux, each drawing inspiration from the other’s grace, structure, and movement. Christian Dior’s groundbreaking 1947 New Look was famously influenced by the light, airy tutus of ballet, while icons like Coco Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Rei Kawakubo have all designed for the stage, weaving their artistry into the world of dance. This centuries-old collaboration is reimagined in “En Pointe–Dance & Fashion.” an exhibition at VISU Contemporary in Miami Beach, where the lens of prolific photographer Pari Dukovic captures the seamless fusion of couture and choreography.
Dukovic’s striking images celebrate both the elegance of ballet and the sophistication of high fashion. The collection showcases 25 photographs of New York City Ballet dancers wearing couture created for the company’s Fall Fashion Gala, an annual event that pairs the world’s top designers with ballet’s most renowned performers. Dukovic’s portraits, first featured in the Rizzoli book“ New York City Ballet: Choreography & Couture,” span a decade of collaborations between nearly 30 designers and the dancers, brought to life with a sense of fluidity, grace, and strength.
In Dukovic’s photography, couture moves, breathes and transforms with the performer. From the sharp tailoring of Thom Browne’s suits to the ethereal constructions of Iris van Herpen, each garment becomes part of the ballet itself, adding layers of visual storytelling. Carolina Herrera’s opulent gowns, Sarah Burton’s dramatic pieces for Alexander McQueen, and Virgil Abloh’s modernist interpretations take on new dimensions when seen in the context of a dancer’s fluidity and power.
The photographs are a masterclass in capturing motion. Dukovic’s use of bold colors and dynamic compositions gives each image an energy that feels palpable, arresting the viewer’s gaze just as it does the dancer’s leap or turn. Every photograph is imbued with the tension ofthe moment before movement and the artistry of the split-second it takes for that movement to be realized.“I want each shot to feel like a portrait of the dancer in motion, expressed through their instrument —the body,” Dukovic explains.
These images, which bring together designers like Zac Posen, Valentino, and Gareth Pugh, reflect the meticulous craftsmanship and vision behind each costume created for the New York City Ballet’s Fall Fashion Gala. More than just clothing, the costumes are extensions of the dancers themselves, accentuating their athleticism, elegance, and poise. The intricate detailing of each piece—whether it’s the reflective surfaces of van Herpen’s designs or the dramatic ombré tones of Burton’s McQueen costumes—interacts with the dancers’ movements, creating a visual dialogue that transcends both fashion and dance.
Dukovic’s eye for the finer details, whether it’s the arch of a foot en pointe or the angle of a dancer’s shoulder mid-pose, offers a unique perspective on the ballet’s artistry. His work in “En Pointe” invites viewers to consider the ways in which fashion can not only complement but elevate the physical form in motion, celebrating the symbiotic relationship between the human body and the craft of design.
Within the space of VISU Contemporary, these photographs take on new life, immersing the viewer in the dialogue between high fashion and high art. The gallery setting amplifies the scale and impact of Dukovic’s work, allowing the viewer to appreciate the intricacies of both the couture and the choreography that inspired it. What was once confined to the pages of a book is now part of a larger, more immersive experience—a celebration of movement, fabric, and form that feels almost as alive as the dancers themselves.
In “En Pointe–Dance & Fashion,” fashion’s eternal love affair with dance is rendered visible in all its beauty. As the ballerinas glide through Dukovic’s lens, couture transforms from static objects to living art, reminding us once again that the worlds of dance and fashion are forever entwined in their pursuit of elegance, creativity, and grace.
