Gabriela Hearst launches limited-edition collection inspired by San Francisco Ballet’s ‘Carmen’

Fashion designer Gabriela Hearst launched on Thursday a limited-edition collection of the costumes she designed for the San Francisco Ballet’s production of ‘Carmen’.

Now available at Gabriela Hearst’s Beverly Hills, New York, and London flagship stores, as well as online, the collection includes twelve knit designs including cardigan coats, dresses, sweaters, tanks, shorts, skirts, bralettes, and trousers, all of which are lightweight and easy to layer. Each piece is named after the character for which it was designed. 

The colors, chosen from Gabriela’s watercolors, create the illusion of a painting in motion on stage. Each character’s look features a solid color from head-to-toe and is constructed in wide ribs that expand and contract to accentuate the body’s form.

One highlight of the collection is the Carmen dress, showcasing the craftsmanship involved in making these pieces. Its knitted ribs are fitted in the upper body and flare out dramatically in the skirt and sleeve cuff. When standing still, the ribs collapse into a columnar shape, but in motion, the true fluidity of the dress appears.

Hearst made her debut in stage design back in April, creating the costumes entirely from sustainable extra-fine merino wool. 

The San Francisco Ballet’s production of ‘Carmen’ is part of Dos Mujeres. The program included Arielle Smith’s modern-day Cuban adaptation of Carmen, alongside Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s vibrant exploration of Frida Kahlo’s life in Broken Wings.