Not currently on display at the V&A

Theatre Costume

1960s (made)
Artist/Maker

Classical tutu with low squared neck and short sleeves. The bodice is of pale blue grey cotton, the skirt of blue synthetic fabric overlaid with pale blue chiffon. Down the front bodice in V formation are rows of gold novelty braid edged with looped white crin; on the basque are 'knots' of white crin with hanging gold sequin bobbles. The neck is edged with a white crin collar with on the shoulders knots of gold braid with hanging gold sequin bobbles. At centre front similar bobbles hang from a pink ribbon rosette. Within the sleeves are short net sleeves ending in white crin and gold embroidered crin frills. The skirt is edged with crin and gold thread braid, and on the skirt are 'leaf' shapes in tubes and looped white crin, with, at either side, a white fabric crysanthemum. The graduated underskirts are of pale grey net.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Cotton, synthetic fabric, chiffon, crin, sequins, gold braid, velvet and net
Brief description
Costume for a Friend of Princess Aurora in Act I of Petipa's ballet The Sleeping Beauty, designed by Oliver Messel, The Royal Ballet revival 1960s
Physical description
Classical tutu with low squared neck and short sleeves. The bodice is of pale blue grey cotton, the skirt of blue synthetic fabric overlaid with pale blue chiffon. Down the front bodice in V formation are rows of gold novelty braid edged with looped white crin; on the basque are 'knots' of white crin with hanging gold sequin bobbles. The neck is edged with a white crin collar with on the shoulders knots of gold braid with hanging gold sequin bobbles. At centre front similar bobbles hang from a pink ribbon rosette. Within the sleeves are short net sleeves ending in white crin and gold embroidered crin frills. The skirt is edged with crin and gold thread braid, and on the skirt are 'leaf' shapes in tubes and looped white crin, with, at either side, a white fabric crysanthemum. The graduated underskirts are of pale grey net.
Marks and inscriptions
"(printed) ROYAL OPERA HOUSE / PRODUCTION: / (printed) ACT: SCENE: / Character (handwritten) / (printed) Name (handwritten) HILL / HORNE / (printed) COVENT GARDEN" (Label; Left back)
Credit line
Given by the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Object history
Oliver Messel originally designed The Sleeping Beauty for the Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet in 1946. The production underwent several modifications over the years and this tutu dates from the performances by The Royal Ballet Touring Company in the mid 1960s.
Collection
Accession number
S.65-2003

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Record createdJanuary 27, 2004
Record URL
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