English National Ballet: “Don’t walk on the grass!”

Dancers of The English National Ballet leaping in the shrubbery in the grounds of Kensington Palace. They are dressed in couture frocks to launch The English National Ballet's Summer Fundraising Party which will be held at the Kensington Palace Orangery on May 19, 2011.

As part of the event English National Ballet has invited nine top fashion designers to create tutus exclusively for the Summer Party to auction live on the night: Erdem, Agent Provocateur, Giles Deacon, Julien Macdonald, Roksanda IlIncic, House of Worth, Kinder Aggugini, Bruce Oldfield and Moschino. Christian Louboutin and Beatrix Ong will design shoes for the auction. Each designer has chosen a dancer from the Company to inspire their creation – on the night of the party the dancers will model the tutus in a catwalk show, before they go on display for guests to bid.

English National Ballet began speaking to designers in February this year, and has been astounded by the support and excitement from the fashion houses. Creative initiatives like this form an integral part of the Company's fundraising activity.

From left: Begona Cao in Bruce Oldfield – Laureta Summerscales in Agent Provocateur – Ksenia Ovsyanick in Roksanda Llincic – Natalie Kreman in House of Worth – Stina Quagabeur in Julien Macdonald

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.