Carly Cushnie Makes Her Costume Design Debut for ABT's Lifted
A fashion designer with a unique vision and an instantly recognizable aesthetic often stands out in the crowd, and Carly Cushnie just so happens to possess both qualities. The New York–based creative director is known for CUSHNIE, the luxury label she helmed for 12 years, which featured an eclectic blend of clever tailoring, feminine drapery, and eye-catching textures. (In case you need a reminder, you’ve probably seen Cushnie’s designs worn by Beyoncé, Rihanna, Michelle Obama, to name just a few of her famous fans.)
Originally from London, Cushnie received a BA from Parsons School of Design and has worked for Donna Karan, Proenza Schouler, and Oscar de la Renta. Now she's adding a new title to her multi-hyphenate resume. Earlier this year, Cushnie was named costume designer for Lifted, a new work produced by award-winning dancer Christopher Rudd for American Ballet Theatre. Conceptualized during the pandemic and the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, Lifted features six Black dancers who assemblé and grande jeté through a journey of self-confrontation, self-reflection, and self-appreciation. Along with Cushnie, Rudd assembled a super collective of Black talent, including Kennedy Center composer-in-residence Carlos Simon, lighting designer Alan C. Edwards, conductor Roderick Cox, set designer Carlos Soto, dramaturg Phaedra Scott, and intimacy director Sarah Lozoff.
The production will have its world premiere this evening at the David H. Koch Theater and will run until Saturday, October 29. On the eve of the show, Cushnie took time out of her schedule to tell T&C about her experience working in this new medium.
Where did your story with Lifted begin?
I have always been a fan of ABT and was particularly inspired by Chritopher Rudd’s incredible piece from last year, Touché. I thought at the time, whatever project he is working on next, I know that I want to be a part of it! Well, we connected and I had this great understanding of what he was looking for, and what he was trying to achieve in terms of the costumes.
What made you excited about designing costumes?
Lifted came about through an entirely Black creative team, which is such a special moment for ABT. Now of course, there have been all-Black creative teams behind other productions before—whether from establishments like Alvin Ailey or others—but this is a first for ABT. They have the opportunity to work with the best of the best, and to support a project that amplifies Black voices and perspectives. I was drawn to this project because of that, and I don’t think many of us Black creatives have had an opportunity to work in a space like this.
What was it like working with such a talented team?
It’s been a privilege and a real honor to be a part of this team. Christopher is an incredibly collaborative person. I don’t think I've met anyone who is so invested in each individual person, whether it’s a dancer, crew member, or anyone else. He takes feedback and spends time with everyone trying to put pieces together.
Since this was my first time working with a ballet, there were a lot of nuances in production aspects that I was not aware of beforehand, so it’s been great to have the support of Christopher and the team during this experience.
How does costume differ from fashion design?
In the world of fashion, you are creating pieces and imagining what the wearer would possibly be doing in them, but with ballet costumes it's so much more than that because you’re building the designs into the story line. There’s an entirely new aspect [for me], which is that of performance, and so many things come into play. For example, if a certain fabric is placed on a dancer around the waist, you have to ask yourself if it’s going to be too slippery when the dancer’s partner attempts to lift her up. The process is sort of like working the clothes into the story.
Did you have specific inspiration or aesthetic in mind?
The process began as a collaboration with Christopher because I wanted to understand the story that he aspired to tell, and from there I tried to imagine how things would unfold. While creating ballet costumes, you want them to have a certain look, but you also want the dancers to feel their best, and most importantly, there is an aspect of mobility. As for the aesthetic, I would describe it as natural, raw, and fluid but also very clean and minimal.
Christopher also expressed to me that he didn’t want the designs to look like typical ballet apparel, such as leotards and tutus. Instead, he wanted the dancers to appear as if they could be walking down the street.
Will you take on more costume design projects in the future?
If you had asked me before this if I would ever design costumes for a ballet, I probably would have said no. It was nevera big dream of mine, but when this opportunity came around with ABT, I knew it would be absolutely amazing and I immediately jumped on board. In terms of engaging in more projects like this in the future, I would say never say never. I’m definitely open to doing other projects if something special arises.
What do you hope Lifted will achieve?
I recently watched the orchestra rehearse, and while admiring their work, I realized that I had never seen a Black conductor in my life…. ever. And to put things in perspective, I’ve been going to the ballet my whole childhood. Visibility is so essential for young people in particular, just to be able to see themselves doing different things and taking part in certain industries that they felt were closed off to them. The American Ballet Theatre is one of the best ballet companies, and I’m so glad that they are showcasing a piece like this for the world to see. I really hope that Lifted paves the way forward.
Tickets for Lifted can be found here, the show will run from today until October 29.
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