Sometimes fashion can seem as interpretative as dance: Take the case of
the collaboration between La Scala and Tod’s. Owner Diego Della Valle
has tapped the 232-year-old Milan theater to choreograph a conceptual
ballet depicting five of the steps involved in the construction of a
Tod’s driving moccasin—the leather sourcing, cutting, hammering,
punching, and stitching. (We warned you it was conceptual.) Directed by
Matthias Zentner, the piece features 13 La Scala dancers; a video of the
performance will be shown at a Tod’s party during Milan Fashion Week,
and a live version will be presented in Beijing in October. “I decided
to partner with La Scala because of our shared heritage and commitment
to craftsmanship,” says Della Valle. Thankfully the dancers do not
pirouette in pebble soles, but a $575 ballerina shoe inspired by the
event lands in Tod’s boutiques in November.
Illustrations by Bella Foster
