Dancers debuted a new look created in collaboration with the Italian fashion house
Words by ELIZABETH VARNELL
As guests arrived at Etro’s Beverly Hills boutique on Thursday, January 22, they got a look at the men’s and women’s Spring 2026 ready-to-wear collections and a temporary dance floor that had been installed inside one of the mirrored salons holding racks of ready-to-wear. The evening, hosted in partnership with the Los Angeles Ballet — the beneficiary of a portion of proceeds from the following two weeks of shopping — included an intimate preview of new work ahead of the ballet company’s sold-out residency at The Wallis in Beverly Hills. Led by artistic director Melissa Barak, the dancers appeared as they were preparing for a triple bill performance of George Balanchine’s Rubies, Hans Van Manen’s Frank Bridge Variation, and a world premiere choreographed by Barak, all in honor of the ballet’s 20th anniversary.
“Fashion and ballet are just a perfect pair,” said Melissa Barak, Los Angeles Ballet artistic director.
“It’s a thrill to work with Etro. Fashion and ballet are just a perfect pair,” Barak said just before the dancers appeared on the temporary stage. “We did an event with Etro last year and I said, ‘I’m going to make a new ballet and I want Etro to be the designer.’’’ The idea bloomed into a collaboration with the Italian house, founded in the late 1960s and known for bold prints and a daring palette of saturated colors. “We’re thrilled to give a sneak peek tonight of the new costumes that the dancers will be wearing for the world premiere of Wavelength,” she said. “It’s all sold out, every single performance, so if you don’t have a ticket this is your chance to see it.” As dancers Paige Wilkey, Lilly Leech, and Nick Sedano appeared to perform a piece d’occasion, created by Barak particularly for the evening, all those assembled got a first look at the deep purple, blue, and amber-colored paisley Etro patterns donned by the cast.
January 30, 2026
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