Kaia Gerber Certainly Cares About Ballet

For anyone living a fully logged-off life, ballet is having a moment. Call it the “any press is good press” effect, but there is more attention and chatter around the art form right now than there has been in years. In a timely coincidence, Kaia Gerber, who has been practicing it off and on since she was little, just so happened to return to the discipline to unveil a collaboration—and ballet video—with the French brand Repetto.

Repetto’s history with dance dates back to 1947, when Rose Repetto—inspired by her son, the dancer and choreographer Roland Petit—designed her first pair of slippers in Paris. Since then, the house has come to embody both the world of ballet and classic French-girl style. Gerber, a longtime fan, has made the brand a staple of her off-duty uniform. “To me, Repetto has always had this effortless French elegance that feels really timeless and feminine, but also quietly strong,” Gerber told W via email. “I’ve always been drawn to its roots in dance and the idea of movement being at the center of everything.”

Thus, when the opportunity arose to collaborate, movement became the guiding principle. Working closely with Repetto’s CEO and president, Charlotte Gaucher, Gerber helped design a two-piece capsule collection and conceptualized its accompanying campaign. To prepare, she trained with Dani Vitale in Los Angeles and Fanny Sage in France, with Sage also choreographing the final film. The result, titled In Bloom, conveys the physical and emotional language of the project.

Directed by Paris-based filmmaker Neels Castillon, the two-minute video captures Gerber in a state of near-surrender—reaching, twisting, and unfolding as if pulled by an unseen force—echoing the blooming flowers interspersed throughout the footage. “It wasn’t really about performing, it was more about expressing something honest,” Gerber says of the video. “That feeling of discovering something about yourself through movement was really at the center of it.”

Below, Gerber discusses reconnecting with ballet for the collaboration and the music that will always get her dancing.

How did this collaboration come about?

I’ve admired Repetto for as long as I can remember. There’s something really special about how that translates into everyday life. When the opportunity came up, it just felt very natural. I loved the idea of exploring that balance between structure and softness and creating something that feels like it moves with you.

Do you have a favorite pair of shoes from the collection? How would you recommend styling them?

I like styling them in different ways depending on how I’m feeling. Sometimes more structured and tailored, and other times softer and more fluid. I feel really connected to both of those styles.

How did you come up with the concept of the video?

We kept coming back to the idea of movement as a language. Since Repetto is so rooted in dance, it felt important for the video to reflect that in a more emotional way, not just visually. I wanted it to feel intimate and personal, almost like a quiet moment.

What was your relationship like with ballet/dancing before this campaign?

I trained in ballet growing up, and it’s something I’ve always admired. There’s so much beauty in the discipline and dedication behind it. I love going to the ballet when I can. It’s such an emotional and immersive experience. Being able to step into that world a little bit for this project definitely gave me an even deeper appreciation for it.

What did your training entail for this? What surprised you most about it?

I worked with a ballet coach leading up to the shoot and focused on the basics like posture, balance, and moving with intention. I trained with Dani Vitale in Los Angeles, and then in France with Fanny Sage, and it was really special to experience it in two different environments. Even the smallest movements take so much control. That was probably the most surprising part. It looks so effortless when you watch it, but it’s actually incredibly technical and demanding.

After this experience, what do you wish more people knew about ballet as an art form?

I think people see how beautiful it is, but what really stood out to me is the level of devotion behind it. It takes so much discipline, but there’s also so much emotion in it. That balance between strength and vulnerability is what makes it so powerful. It really is about expressing something human through movement, which I think is so special.

When you're at a wedding or a party, what are 1-2 songs that will get you on the dance floor?

“Kiss” by Prince and “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League.

Shop Gerber’s Repetto capsule below:

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