For all the costumes they review and process over a lifetime spent in the orchestra seats, ballet critics rarely get the ear of the fashion set. But for the premiere of the English National Ballet’s rendition of The Dying Swan, featured in their celebration of the Ballets Russes’ centenary, Brit dance critics got their chance to lance into Karl Lagerfeld, who had designed a new tutu in honor of the performance. “Lagerfeld’s tutu is an unflattering disaster, taking every opportunity to spoil its ballerina’s line,” said the Independent. Others had even more unkind words. Does this mean we won’t get to see Karl’s vision of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a new rendition of the Nutcracker come Christmas? Drat.
