ATELIER ROSEMARIE UMETSU

FRIDAY’s FASHION 5..

5 WAYS TO GET YOUR WARDROBE READY FOR A NEW CONCERT-SEASON

A new concert season. New repertoire. New stages. New possibilities.

Is your wardrobe ready for what’s ahead?

Your performance wardrobe should never stand still. It should grow with your artistry, respond to where you’re headed and keep your stage presence feeling distinctly current — and unmistakably you.

🌟 CURATE FOR THE SEASON AHEAD
🌟 REASSESS YOUR STAGE IDENTITY
🌟 EXPLORE SOMETHING UNEXPECTED
🌟 BUILD IN VERSATILITY
🌟 CREATE YOUR SEASON SIGNATURE

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts and if you’d like deeper insight on these maxims feel free to DM us.

CURATE FOR THE SEASON AHEAD

Dress for where your repertoire is directing you for the Season.

Each scheduled performance • new repertoire, important debuts, tours, recordings etc.. present an opportunity to assemble something specifically reflective of the moment.

REASSESS YOUR STAGE IDENTITY

Assess if your wardrobe still represents the artist you are today.

Artistry evolves ensure your performance wardrobe evolves with it.
A new Season is the perfect moment to evaluate if your performance wardrobe still reflects the artist you’ve become today.

EXPLORE SOMETHING UNEXPECTED

Make room for discovery and introduce something new.

Add a colour or silhouette you haven’t worn, a new detail or an unexpected combination that can bring fresh energy to the stage while being reflective of your new Season.

BUILD IN VERSATILITY

Make more of what you already own by filling in the gaps.

A favourite or statement piece styled differently can create a new look without requiring an entirely new wardrobe, and yet looking brand new.

CREATE YOUR SEASON SIGNATURE

Give the season a visual point of view.

Consider how your wardrobe can build a recognizable visual thread across the season while allowing each performance its own identity.

in celebration of the 51st edition of TIFF in Toronto.. Canadian actor Arsinee Khanjian walking the red carpet with Filmmaker Atom Egoyan at the premiere of his movie Chloe (2009) at Roy Thomson Hall Sept 13, 2009

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sleek,modern timeless black and sheer dress

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Friday’s Fashion 5..

Today we address Dressing for the Repertoire.

It’s important that when picking wardrobe for a performance to dress in conversation with the repertoire This enhances and complements the performance.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts and if you’d like deeper insight on these points feel free to DM us.

THE EMOTIONAL TEMPERATURE

Complement the emotional mood of the music.

Intimate, powerful, playful, restrained, romantic or dramatic — let your wardrobe complement the emotional world of the repertoire without literally interpreting it.

SCALE OF THE MUSIC

Consider the magnitude of the music.

An intimate recital and a monumental concerto call for different visual presence. Let your wardrobe respond to the scale of the repertoire without overpowering it.

WEIGHT OF THE MUSIC

Reflect the texture and density of the music.

Some repertoire feels dense and substantial; other music transparent, light and weightless. Fabric, volume and silhouette can reflect that musical weight — or deliberately contrast with it.

THE COMPOSERS WORLD

Look beyond the music for inspiration.

Explore the art, architecture, design and cultural world surrounding the composer. These influences can inspire a subtle nod to its visual language and connect wardrobe to the repertoire while keeping the look firmly contemporary.

PERFORMANCE FRAME

Dress for the complete performance experience.

Whether it’s a single concerto or an evening long recital, wardrobe should feel appropriate to the musical journey and the occasion as a whole. Consider the setting around the music as it all shapes how the repertoire is experienced-and how your wardrobe is read.

From the Atelier Archives August 2011 Singer-Songwriter Jill Barber for the Chloe Magazine Cover photo shoot on location at Pravda Vodka Bar - 15 years ago.

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Friday’s Fashion 5..

Today’s style pointers address 5 common misconceptions about performance wardrobe. The most important takeaway is a change in mindset from thinking it’s simply about the outfit you choose to wear.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts and if you’d like deeper insight on these points feel free to DM us.

MISCONCEPTION #1:

PERFORMANCE WARDROBE IS ABOUT THE CLOTHES

It’s about the Performer.

The clothes are a conduit which allows the performer to become more fully themselves.

MISCONCEPTION #2:

IT LOOKS GREAT IN THE MIRROR

It must always be considered from the stage perspective.

A mirror is only a few feet away an audience extends many feet away hence stage dressing has to be considered at a distance.

MISCONCEPTION #3:

THE FRONT IS WHAT MATTERS MOST

A stage garment needs to work from 360 degrees.

Entrances, exits, bows and camera angles tell a different story and wardrobe needs to work from all angles. Remember an exit should be as visually impactful as an entrance.

MISCONCEPTION #4:

BUILDING A COLLECTION OF QUTFITS

Build a visual style identity.

Presenting a recognizable visual style that is unmistakably yours should become part of an artist’s identity, which centres on consistent recognition rather than constant reinvention.

MISCONCEPTION #5:

WARDROBE IS THE FINISHING TOUCH

It’s part of the performance architecture from the beginning.

Wardrobe shouldn’t be the last minute decision made after everything else is ready, it should be carefully thought out in time as it is an integral part of the performance.