Australian demi-couture fashion brand Nicol & Ford has secured a contract to design around 20 costumes for the Australian debut of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.
Designers Katie-Louise and Lil Nicol-Ford worked with director Dean Drieberg and the cast on costume design and preparation for the Darlinghurst Theatre Company.
Nicol-Ford said their costume designs were created to withstand the demands of physical stage performance.
“Researching the Empire line and the influence of Grecian references on the period, we have deconstructed and subverted the constraining forms of historic dress to liberate bodies and revisit the codified and class-laden expectations of the public promenade on the stage,” Nicol-Ford said.
“We were thrilled to be approached by Darlinghurst Theatre Company for this project, contributing to their work in challenging expectations of contemporary theatre and breaking down barriers in the creative industries to work with new and innovative interdisciplinary designers.”
Based on Tolstoy’s War and Peace, the production focuses on a young Natasha (played by Grace Driscoll), her affair with Anatole (played by Jules Pendrith) and Pierre’s (played by Zoy Frangos) search for meaning in his life.
Drieberg said selecting Nicol & Ford as costumiers for the production was a strategic decision.
“The concept of this production was to ground the world in 1812 whilst also pulling it into the present day,” Drieberg said. “I imagined the characters of Great Comet being dressed in their finest couture. Lil and Katie have incorporated details into their iconic designs that subtly contribute to the storytelling.”
The move comes after the Powerhouse Museum recently acquired Nicol & Ford’s work as part of its permanent collection.
It also follows the brand’s recent runway presentation at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) at Carriageworks in May, with the stage costumes drawing inspiration from its AAFW show.
The Australian debut of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 will open at Eternity Playhouse on Sunday, July 9 and run until Sunday, August 20.