Overview

'Russian opera conquered Paris in one day', wrote a French theatre critic in May 1909. In the two decades between its debut performances and the death of impresario Sergei Diaghilev in 1929, the Ballets Russes was an unrivalled sensation in Paris a city that in those years knew no shortage of artisticstimulation. But while attention has often centred on the links betweenDiaghilev's troupe and modernist art and music, there has been surprisinglylittle analysis of the Ballets' role in the area of tastemaking. For the first time, Ballets Russes Style addresses this gap, revealing the extent of the ensemble's influence in arenas of high style, including fashion, interior design, advertising and the decorative arts.

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9781861897572

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Reviews

A wonderful addition to the large body of literature available on the topic, this contribution by Music historian, Mary E. Davis, is a small, compact and well-organized book focusing specifically on the impact the troupe had on designers working at the time of Diaghilev (1909 to 1929). . . . Particularly interesting in this slim volume, the introductory material provides a brief history of popular notice of the Ballets Russes in modern times, from Yves Saint Laurent, to various exhibitions of theatrical costumes (including Diana Vreeland) as well as auction histories leading up to current times.--Heather Vaughan Wornthrough.com A wonderful descriptive account of the Ballets Russes from its inception to its demise, emphasizing the relation of the company and its development to the fashion and arts world. Written with great clarity it explores these relationships in detail. Most informative and insightful. --Elizabeth Wilson Davis's vantage point offers intriguing insights into the broader cultural impact of Diaghilev's enterprise. Her book is a welcome addition to recent scholarship on the Ballets Russes and its enduring allure. -- Times Higher Education The 'legendary command' of the Ballets Russes impresario was simply: 'Astonish me!' A century on from its Paris debut, Diaghilev's dancers continue to do that in this handsome book . . . Mary E. Davis conveys the electric excitement from a collection of talents--music by Stravinsky, sets by Picasso, costumes by Bakst--that has never been equaled. -- Independent The historian Mary E. Davis's Ballets Russes Style: Diaghilev's Dancers and Paris Fashion traces the costumes' influence, from Paul Poiret's 1910s harem pants and togas to Karl Lagerfeld's 2009 collection with Russian models wearing Cossack boots.--Eve M. Kahn New York Times

The historian Mary E. Davis’s Ballets Russes Style: Diaghilev’s Dancers and Paris Fashion   traces the costumes’ influence, from Paul Poiret’s 1910s harem pants and togas to Karl Lagerfeld’s 2009 collection with Russian models wearing Cossack boots. -- New York Times --Eve M. Kahn "New York Times "

Author Information

Mary E. Davis is a member of the Capstone Faculty at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs. Her books include Classic Chic (2006), Erik Satie (Reaktion, 2007) and Paul Poiret (Reaktion, 2025).

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