NEW YORK — As the rack of clothing was rolled into the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre for this photo shoot, the six cast members from “A Chorus Line” were given just one rule: pick pieces they would wear to rehearse in. “That’s so me,” said Deidre Goodwin of a Norma Kamali for Everlast top. “Natalie should get to wear the Bonjours — she’s French, after all,” said Alisan Porter, plucking a pair of Spring & Clifton shorts off the hanger. “This should go to Heather. She could totally get away with it,” said Mara Davi about another of that firm’s looks — a skimpy bikini top coupled with cropped leggings. In the end, the selections indicated that dancers have a unique way of mixing pieces together: street with active, traditional dancewear with ready-to-wear.
After falling for a handful of looks, Natalie Cortez, aka Diana, finally settled on VPL’s strapless bodysuit, which she paired with roll-top shorts from Norma Kamali for Everlast. As it turns out, one of Kamali’s favorite things to do is outfit performers. “Dancers are so creative, and because they usually don’t have a lot of money, they put things together in such an unusual way,” said the designer, whose line for Everlast includes a plethora of dance-friendly pieces. “I love the way they personalize their pieces by cutting them up or spray-painting them.”
Spring & Clifton’s Michelle Zacks says much of her spring knitwear collection, which she named Practice Performance, was inspired by dancers. It’s little surprise then, that her flirty shorts emblazoned with the word “Bonjour” were an obvious favorite at the shoot. “‘A Chorus Line’ was actually one of the things that was in my head when I was creating the line,” she said, noting that the starting point for Practice Performance stemmed from the do-it-yourself approach that many dancers take with their clothes. “They love to knot and layer pieces, and the things I created are meant to be worn that way.”
Thanks to the revival of “A Chorus Line,” not to mention hit TV shows such as “So You Think You Can Dance?” and “Dancing With the Stars,” the art of dancing is infiltrating the fashion masses in a big way. And now, it’s paying off at retail.
Related Articles
You May Also Like
At Capezio, for instance, Deborah Gibbs-Pelton, director of business development, says the firm’s ballroom business has increased by about 40 percent in the last year; bestsellers include skirts in various lengths and tunic tops. “The exposure garnered by these shows has really helped to push our business,” she said, predicting that the current leggings and layering trends will continue to grow. “As fabrics get lighter, layering becomes more popular — people are wearing two or three camisoles at once now. And that all started with dancers.”
Danskin, too, is experiencing an uptick in interest, especially from contemporary stores. “They’re picking up key pieces such as dance cover-ups and wrap sweaters,” said Carol Hochman, chief executive officer of the firm. “People are embracing looks dancers have worn for years, such as a tunic over a tank with leggings.” She noted that leggings are one of the most exciting items at retail today. “They’ve just exploded,” she said.
While mixing activewear pieces with rtw is not a new trend, Kamali says its versatility will continue to expand the look. “What I really wanted to do with Everlast was create a line that took the casual dress attitude further,” she said. “You can mix it with anything. Put a bolero over a ballgown. Have fun with your wardrobe. I’m so tired of seeing
the same thing on everyone. It’s time to express yourself again, and that’s why I love dancers: They take things
apart and really experiment with them. They create true
individual style.”