Odette Vs Odile - Who Wore it Best

Last Saturday I attended the ballet Swan Lake at The Edinburgh Playhouse with my mum and younger sister. When I was about the age of 6 I used to go often with my mum, there was just something so mesmerizing to me as a young girl to watch the gentle flutter of tutu's gliding round the stage. After attending on Saturday, it was made clear to me that this infatuation still remained, completely and utterly intact. 

For those of you who are not familiar of the story of Swan Lake, let me sum it up for you.

Swan Lake tells the story of a young Prince that is told by his mother he is to marry and to marry quickly for that matter. He has all the young girls in the area fuss over him and yearn to be his bride, but none seemed to suit. One day after going hunting in the woods, he finds himself alone by a beautiful lake filled with elegant swans, floating along the water. One swan bears a delicate crown on her head. As night falls the swan bearing the crown emerges out the water as a stunning young women and the Prince falls immediately in love with her, she is the Swan Queen, her name is Odette. Odette tells the Prince of an evil sorceror Von Rothbart, who had cast this spell on these young girls to turn them to swans and the only way it could be broken was if someone was to confess their love for them. Von Rothbart appears before the Prince can say anymore and sweeps Odette away. 

The following evening the Prince's mother presents the Prince with many aspiring Princesses at the ball, however all the Prince can think about is Odette. Von Rothbart appears with who appears to be Odette, however it is infact Odile, his daughter whom he had cast a spell upon to give the appearance of Odette. The Prince dances with her and asks her to marry him, however he then sees Odette peering through the window, seeming very upset. He runs after her and explains how he was tricked and Odette quickly forgives him. Not before long Von Rothbart and Odile appear, however, they have developed into bird like creatures and chaos breaks loose. Von Rothbart insists the Prince keep his word and marry his daughter but the Prince refuses and takes Odette's hand and together they jump into the lake, ending both their lives together. Their love breaks the spell and all the swan's are freed.

The costumes in the Ballet of Swan Lake are magnificent. However, it is the Swan Queen and Odile (the black swan) who's are undoubtedly the most exquisite. When I was in my fifth year of high school I designed and made, from scratch, a costume inspired by the black swan. Whilst the Swan Queen has such gentle and elegant beauty, I find the Black Swan far more intriguing due to her darker, sinister beauty. I have always been completely infatuated with fashion design; I was sketching before I could count my toes! So there was no doubt in my mind that this would not be the perfect project for me and I can honestly say I have never worked so hard at anything in my life. I was beyond content with the final outcome, that is of course minus the fact I had turned my fingers black, from working with a million black feathers. Finally I had my friend model my final design for photographic evidence and we shot the photographs in the woods near my house, giving the perfect scenery for the mood of the costume. Below you can see my final design, which ironically was the first one I actually came up with, and the final made costume. Let me know what you think! And also for all you Swan Lake the Ballet virgins, I am telling you now, get yourself online and buy tickets for the next showing!