Raising the Barre

Deneuve, Beecroft

Repetto’s beloved ballet flats and slightly less ubiquitous jazz shoes have been elevated to an art form in honor of the house’s 60th anniversary. The French firm tapped 60 cultural and creative types, including Brigitte Bardot, Marc Jacobs and Helmut Lang, to personalize a pair for a traveling exhibition and eventual auction to benefit UNESCO and dance schools throughout the world. The 30 styles, unveiled last week at Manhattan’s Max Lang gallery, range from dainty to dark. Catherine Deneuve covered black ballerinas with pink tulle while Vanessa Beecroft went a little more macabre: her white ballet flats, splattered with deep red paint, look plucked from a Sweeney Todd costume truck. Meanwhile, Nicholas Sarkozy paramour Carla Bruni depicted a starry night.

Kawakubo, Gaultier

Rei Kawakubo and Jean Paul Gaultier tackled flou-ier fare, each customizing a tutu rather than shoes. Gaultier personalized his entry with bateau stripes, and Kawakubo opted for a colorful mix of multiple-hued tutus spliced together. All are scheduled for a two-week engagement center stage in Bergdorf Goodman’s windows that began on January 15th.