Ballet's high-fashion history features costumes designed by Virgil Abloh and Alexander McQueen

The New York City Ballet (NYCB) was founded in 1948 and is best known for its beautiful ballet productions. Beyond the choreography, however, the costumes of the NYCB have helped bring shows to life for decades.

In an exhibition called Design in Motion: A New York City Ballet Fall Fashion Gala Retrospective, costumes from twenty-six fashion designers, spanning across the past seven editions of NYCB’s annual Fall Fashion Gala, will present the variety of the Ballet's costume vision. The exhibition will feature costume designs by Prabal Gurung, Valentino, Jason Wu, Thom Browne, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Iris Van Herpen, Dries Van Noten, Virgil Abloh, Alberta Ferretti and many other designers.

The collection was curated by NYCB Director of Costumes Marc Happel, who has been in charge of the ballet's wardrobe since 2006. “I am excited for people to see the sheer breadth of what has been created over the last seven years of the Fall Fashion Gala,” said Happel in a statement. “I am most honored to showcase the unbelievable artistry and versatility of the New York City Ballet Costume Shop, and the couture designs we’ve brought to life over the last seven years.”

Take a look at some of the costumes below.

The exhibit will be on display from September 24, 2019 through October 20, 2019, from 11AM-10PM at INTERSECT by LEXUS - NYC, along with accompanying performance videos from 2012-2018.