It would be easy to assume, looking at Gabriela Hearst’s pre-fall imagery, that the star is a model by trade. India Bradley, the lithe beauty from Detroit, Michigan, possesses all the qualities we’ve come to expect from runway stars. But still, fashion isn’t her day job. as a member of the New York City Ballet’s Corps de Ballet, she brings shows like Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and Balanchine’s Firebird to life. Dancing since the age of four, Bradley has honed her on stage skills for years, perfecting each move. Off-duty, she’s maintained a love of style, but she wasn’t sure how she could merge her dual obsessions. Like many, she found her schedule upended by COVID-19 and the stay at home guidelines, but the momentary pause proved advantageous. “I’ve constantly been saying that I’d like to get more involved in modeling and with ballet being on hold for a while, it’s perfect timing,” shared Bradley via email. “It was super dope to find out that I’d get to be a part of the process.”
Quarantine has pushed photographers and brands to think outside the box, and for Hearst that meant creating distinctive images while adhering to social distancing guidelines. “Big marketing budgets just aren’t a part of our reality,” she shared on the phone from Manhattan. “It’s about creating things with love and care, and working with talent who will be captivated by the project.” Ballerinas felt like a natural fit given fall/winter 19’s inspiration Maya Plisetskaya, the famed Soviet ballerina, the presence of former ballet stars like communications director, Bailey Moon on the label’s staff, and the collection’s focus on movement. “It’s so impressive the things they can do with their bodies; it elevates the clothes to this new level,” Hearst said.
Quarantine shoots can be stressful, but Bradley found the experience — and the clothes — enthralling. Shot at Please Space in Brooklyn by Pascal Perich with movement direction from Moon, the team followed CDC guidelines while creating the series of elegant pictures featuring Bradley, Christine Shevchenko, Fangqi Li, Unity Phelan, and Olivia Boison. Hearst’s designs struck a chord with Bradley. “The details are like artwork. I mean even down to the shoes; sandals with marble studded into the heel that you really ,can only see if you look closely,” she says. “I’d call that a slight flex.”