{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O169968"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O169968/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BY0149/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BY0149/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BY0149","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O169968/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O169968","accessionNumber":"S.1346-1986","objectType":"Costume design","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Sophie Fedorovitch (1893-1953) was born in Russia and came to Britain in 1920 where she became one of the most significant and influential designers for the ballet. She had trained as a painter but from 1932 onwards concentated on designing for the stage. Fedorovitch created 11 ballets for Frederick Ashton, who regarded her as the ideal designer for dance. She liked to work closely with choreographers, attending rehearsals and developing her ideas as the ballet took shape. On paper her designs appear impressionistic, usually no more than a few brush strokes, but capture the mood and the essentials; the practical details came later and could be worked out with the costumier. It is a way of working that many costume makers prefer, allowing them to contribute their own ideas so that the finished costume becomes the result of a collaborative process. \r\n\r\nIn 1940 Fedorovitch designed Andrée Howard's one-act ballet  <i>La Fête Étrange</i>, a haunting dream-like piece based on Alain-Fournier's novel <i>Les Grandes Meaulnes</i>.  By chance a boy comes to a mysterious chateau where a betrothal party is taking place. The boy is captivated by the beautiful bride-to-be and his innocent love causes the estrangment of the girl and her fiancé. The design for two guests gives no precise detail but conveys the grace and elegance of the dancers' dresses, the way that the fabric will fall rather than the type of material to be used.","physicalDescription":"Costume design showing two full-length female figures loosely sketched in pencil, the costumes and grey background painted in watercolour. The figures wear similar calf-length ballet dresses in white tinged with pale yellow. Each dress with an off-the-shoulder bodice and short sleeves, the figure at left with ruffled sleeves, the figure at right with puff sleeves, both with a wide yellow sash at waist tied in a bow.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Fedorovitch, Sophie","id":"A4752"},"association":{"text":"costume designer","id":"AAT163428"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Fedorovitch, Sophie","id":"A4752"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"water-colour","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil and watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2009BY0149"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES356651"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costume design","id":"AAT163423"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1940","earliest":"1940-01-01","latest":"1940-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by G.L. Carnes","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"37","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Costume design for dancers in Andrée Howard's ballet <i>La Fête Étrange</i>, London Ballet at the Arts Theatre, 1940, based on Alain-Fournier's novel <i>Le Grand Meaulnes</i> with music by Fauré. The ballet was premiered by London Ballet at the Arts Theatre on  23 May 1940. Sophie Fedorovitch designed the sets and costumes.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Design by Sophie Fedorovitch for dancers in Andrée Howard's ballet, <i>La Fête Étrange</i>, London Ballet, Arts Theatre, 1940","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"4\r\nCostu me design for <i>La Fête Étrange</i>\r\n1940\n\r\nSome designers provide costumiers with exact\r\ndepictions of the costumes they require. Others prefer\r\nto make impressionistic designs that leave scope for\r\ninterpretation. Sophie Fedorovitch’s designs give no\r\nprecise details but suggest the grace and elegance\r\nof the dancers’ dresses. Her style was suited to the\r\nromantic atmosphere of La Fête Étrange, a dream-like\r\ntale of sudden infatuation.\n\r\nBallet by André Howard, 1940\r\nArts Theatre, London\n\r\nPaper, pencil and watercolour\r\nSophie Fedorovitch (1893–1953)\r\nGiven by G.L. Carnes. \nMuseum no. S.1346-1986","date":{"text":"March 2009-September 2013","earliest":"2009-03-01","latest":"2013-09-30"}}],"partNumbers":["S.1346-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"1346","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN8875","2019LP7098","2019LT5947","2019LW1307"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-08","recordCreationDate":"2008-10-20","availableToBook":true}}