Costumes By Leon Bakst

Fuchsia Silk Tunic & Underskirt - designed by Bakst for one of the women in the court of the Ballet "Thamar"

A Cossack Coat - designed by Bakst for the Ballet "Thamar" - It's cape is decorated with silver braid and designed to drape over the arms & swirl around the dancer as he moved

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I'm so inspired by these costumes designed for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes - 1909-1929 - an astonishing array of "Wearable Art" made to be danced in -  collected by Thamar d' Imeretie.  Many will appear in a should be fascinating exhibition at the V&A in London through September.

See Thamar's story in this month's "World of Interiors" May - 2010.

Many more costumes are shown - beautifully decorated with Beadwork, Silver Braid - Ribbons - and Embroidery.

Bakst's costumes for "Scheherazade" had an enormous impact on French Fashion and inspired many designers - such as Paul Poiret to adopt a new Oriental style that reflected the flowing - suggestive lines of these costumes.

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