Exclusive: Chanel Partners with Paris Opera Junior Ballet for Asian Debut

When Gabrielle Chanel formed a rapport with Sergei Diaghilev of the Ballets Russes in the 1920s, it opened the door to an artistic partnership. She became his patron and created the costumes for Le Train Bleu, laying the foundation for a lasting relationship between the House and the world of dance.

That legacy is very much alive today. In 2023, Chanel reaffirmed its dedication to the art of movement as Major Patron of the Paris Opera, and a year later supported the creation of the Junior Ballet, where young dancers refine their skills in classical and contemporary repertoire. 

This year, the Junior Ballet takes its ambition beyond Europe, with Kuala Lumpur as its first stop in Asia. Over two evenings at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, the company premiered a new work by choreographer Julian Nicosia. The costumes, created exclusively by Chanel, included black unitards with golden wheat motifs, an oversized coat, and a contrasting pared-down look of wide-cut black trousers and a simple tank top. Each piece was designed to highlight the precision and freedom of movement in the choreography. 

Ahead of the Junior Ballet performances, we spoke to Nicosia on the making of the piece, how Chanel helped shape the vision, and more. 

Can you walk us through your process when creating a new piece for the company? Where do you begin—music, movement, emotion, or something else?

Julian Nicosia: I always start with the music. For this piece, I’m working with new compositions by Janiv Oron and Michael Anklin. They’re two composers I’ve worked with since I began choreographing, so we know each other well. They understand my taste, which makes everything much easier. 

I usually have a loose sense of what I want to explore, but I try not to prepare too much because the more I plan, the less it works. I need to meet the people I’m going to work with first, discover who they are, and let the process grow from there.

With Chanel becoming the Major Patron of the Paris Opera, how has this support influenced or enriched your creative work as a choreographer?

JN: When José Martinez, the director of the Paris Opera Ballet, told me about the collaboration, I couldn’t believe it. It felt like an incredible opportunity because, as a choreographer, you don’t always get to work with a dedicated costume designer. This time, there was an entire team behind it. I started putting together a moodboard and sharing my ideas, and they understood my vision right away. They created something even more than I expected, and the result truly exceeded my expectations.

Chanel has created unique costumes for the Opera every year. As a choreographer, how do you approach this relationship between costume and choreography, especially when working together with a house such as Chanel?

JN: When working with an institution like Chanel, the possibilities are so much bigger. The craftsmanship is incredible, and you can really focus on the details. Sometimes these details get overlooked because there’s not much time or limited resources, but with the Chanel team, I saw just how far you can push them—as far as the choreography allows. During the first full run with the costumes, nothing broke and nothing needed adjusting. Costume issues usually happen, but we didn’t experience any with Chanel. Everything was solid, beautifully made, and unmistakably Chanel.

What do you hope viewers feel when they watch your choreography?

JN: I hope they leave feeling a little puzzled—in the best way. I want moments from the piece to flash in their minds days later, transforming and evolving as they remember it.

When creating for younger dancers like the Junior Ballet, what do you hope to instill in them—artistically or personally?

JN: I think curiosity is the most important thing, and not being afraid to try what you don’t yet understand. As dancers, you often want to know exactly how something should be done, but creating something new sometimes means working in the dark, unsure if it will succeed. These younger dancers came in with that spirit—open to exploring, finding solutions together, and discovering what works. That’s incredibly inspiring as an artist.

What do you think the role of ballet should be in the 21st century? Should it preserve, provoke, or reinvent?

JN: I believe ballet should do all of these things. Ballet needs to honour its traditions, challenge itself, and continually evolve. I’m not worried about its future—it will always be here. José Martínez does this brilliantly, keeping these three elements alive while pushing the art form forward.

After speaking with Nicosia about his creative process, we sat down with two of the Junior Ballet dancers, Grace Boyd and Matt Vuaflart, to learn about their preparation, mindset, and how the Chanel costumes influenced their performance.

Ballet is known for its elegance and lightness of movement, but it is an art form that is crafted through rigorous discipline and practice behind the curtains—qualities deeply rooted in Chanel’s DNA. In your view, what parallels can be drawn between the two disciplines?

Grace Boyd: I think both require incredible precision and care. Chanel takes the time to perfect every detail and create something truly beautiful, and ballet is the same. We work tirelessly to refine our technique and make sure everything is flawless before presenting it to the world.  

Can you share a glimpse into the training and practice the dancers go through before every show? How do you prepare?

GB: I like to do a thorough warm-up before a show, getting my body moving and even sweating, so I feel fully prepared. I run through the movements in my head and body to feel more comfortable and connected before going on stage. 

Matt Vuaflart: I’m pretty much the same. I do my warm-ups at the barre and go through the steps in my head before going on stage. I also make sure to get a good night’s sleep, have a good breakfast, and keep some light snacks on hand before the show.

How do you mentally prepare before a performance? Are there any personal rituals or superstitions you have?

GB: Before a show, we usually say ‘merde’ for good luck—it’s like the French version of ‘break a leg.’ You reply ‘Je prends,’ which means ‘I take it,’ because saying ‘merci’ is supposed to bring bad luck. I also do 10 relevés on each leg, have a little applesauce, and just remind myself to enjoy the performance. Being on stage is such a privilege, so I try to enjoy every second of it.

MV: Visualisation is really important in ballet. When I was younger, I’d imagine myself falling or making mistakes, but now I focus on seeing myself perform confidently. One little ritual I have is beating my chest to shake off stress—my teacher taught me that, and it really works!

Many people see ballet as an art of perfection. What does “perfection” mean to you, and do you think it’s something dancers should strive for?

GB: I think all dancers are perfectionists, and I’m no different. I like my hair and makeup to be perfect, but realistically, nothing ever is. There’s always something to work on, and it’s important to remember that making mistakes is completely normal. That’s the beauty of live performance—nothing’s ever perfect.

MV: This is one of the things I love about ballet, but it can also be frustrating. There’s never a moment when you can tell yourself you’re ‘done’ with a step or that it’s perfect, because there’s always something to work on. That’s why every time we go on stage is a chance to improve ourselves.

Chanel and ballet both embody grace and precision. When you wear costumes designed in collaboration with Chanel, does it affect the way you move or feel on stage?

GB: When we tried on the costumes a week ago, we were really excited. You could really see the quality and the effort that went into making them. It gave me an extra boost of spirit to match my dancing to that level of craftsmanship.

MV: At first, we were a bit worried about the costumes—we thought they might be slippery for partnering, since we have to lift the girls. But when we tried them, everything worked perfectly, and they looked amazing.