Open Studio 455: San Francisco Ballet Blog

Ballet Shop Favorites

Monday, February 8th, 2010 | All Posts by Valerie Megas

In my last post I talked about the work we do at the Ballet Shop in the off-season, preparing for the Nutcracker run and processing merchandise for the Repertory Season. Nutcracker is definitely our busiest time of year, and this year was no exception: we sold over 4,000 nutcrackers and 6,000 ornaments!

Now that the season is underway, the Shop has swapped out the nutcrackers for CDs and DVDs, children’s books and toys, and lots of SF Ballet logo apparel. Apparel bearing SF Ballet’s logo are our best selling items, and the styles we carry are very hip and comfortable. I design most of the clothing and everything is custom made for us in Los Angeles. Some of our most popular styles were inspired by the fashion I saw in the stores and showrooms in Reykjavik, Iceland when I was there on tour with the Company in 2007. Reykjavik is a city full of amazing design in architecture, art and fashion. I found this small city to be a hidden treasure for design ideas.

An example of our logo apparel.

Reykjavik is not the only city to provide inspiration. SF Ballet just finished a very successful run of Swan Lake, with sets inspired by the San Francisco Opera House, among other locations. I love seeing the “reproductions” of the Opera House’s lamps flanking the dramatic double staircase in Act III, although my favorite design element is the over-sized moon centered above the stage. As gorgeous as this production is, Swan Lake is only the beginning of a great season. This year I’m particularly looking forward to the new works by Christopher Wheeldon and Yuri Possokhov, which look amazing in rehearsal, and the return of William Forsythe’s in the middle, somewhat elevated, with all its sharp, quick energy. The Balanchine Masterworks program will be great too, with something for everyone: the beautifully romantic Serenade, the angular, still-modern Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and Theme and Variations, with its classical tutus and choreography. I love how eclectic SF Ballet’s repertoire is, with classical and neoclassical works complemented by modern, contemporary pieces.

Like the Ballet’s repertoire, the Ballet Shop’s selection is a mix of classical and contemporary. From leather handbags to casual clothing, the Shop has items to suit many tastes and at a price range for every budget. My favorite things in the Shop are the fashion accessories. Every year, I attend an international fashion accessory show in Paris where I see collections from all over Europe. I also make an annual buying trip to New York. Consequently the Shop carries unique items from all over the world.

Below are photos of some of my favorites. These are handmade pieces from France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Israel. The long ruffle scarf in the photo is made in England and little wool neck wrap is from Finland. I try to offer unusual pieces that can’t be found elsewhere, so you won’t end-up like the girl in Jerome Robbins’s The Concert, proudly walking down the street in your new hat/scarf/earrings only to pass someone wearing the same thing!

The Ballet Shop is located in the Opera House on the south mezzanine and is open one hour before all performances, during intermissions, and 30 minutes after weekend matinees. Visit the Ballet Shop the next time you’re at the Ballet, or request a Shop pass at the Ballet box office.