French heritage footwear brand J.M. Weston has joined forces with the Paris Opera on a capsule collection to mark the 150th anniversary of the Palais Garnier.
Olivier Saillard, artistic, image and culture director of J.M. Weston, presented the three shoe designs and two envelope clutches in a gilded reception room located behind the stage of the lavish opera house, famed for its red velvet seats, gilded balconies and ceiling painted by Marc Chagall.
But first, a guide took visitors on a backstage tour of the premises, from the water-filled cellar that inspired the plot of “The Phantom of the Opera” to the dance studios located under the eaves, named after luminaries Serge Lifar, Rudolf Nureyev and Marius Petipa.
Martin Ajdari, deputy director of the Paris Opera, said the institution shares with Weston a commitment to preserving heritage and craftsmanship.
“Between wigmakers, dressmakers, makeup artists, painters, sculptors, ironworkers and shoemakers, the Paris Opera is home to more than a dozen professions with 180 craftspeople active across our three sites: Palais Garnier, the Opéra Bastille and our Ateliers Berthier workshops,” he said. “This collaboration also embodies a shared, dynamic, modern vision of elegance where tradition and innovation are in constant dialogue.”
Marc Durie, president of J.M. Weston, noted the shoemaker was founded in 1891, and drew a parallel between the opera workshops and its historic factory in Limoges, where the collection was produced.
The designs reprise key symbols of the opera house. A black velvet loafer for men and women is embroidered with a gold sun, inspired by the motif above the stage curtain symbolizing Louis XIV, the Sun King, who founded the Opera Academy in 1669.
A men’s velvet slip-on shoe, available in black or burgundy, is embroidered with a gold lyre, a recurring motif in architect Charles Garnier’s design for the building, considered a masterpiece of Second Empire style.
The third design is an asymmetric men’s lace-up brogue in black patent leather with a burgundy lining and a brass tip. The two clutches, in plain and patent black leather, are embossed with the name and address of the building.
J.M. Weston has recently collaborated with brands including Sacai, 3.Paradis and Soeur, as well as tennis tournament Roland-Garros and pastry chef Sébastien Gaudard.
Saillard said the Paris Opera project was an opportunity to bolster the brand’s eveningwear assortment. “We wanted to nod not just to the stage, but also to the people in the audience,” he said.
The images promoting the collection, which will go on sale on Feb. 17, feature star dancer Paul Marque. It’s not the first time Saillard has joined forces with the world of performance: He has previously hosted dance classes with leading choreographers such as Mathilde Monnier, La Ribot and Asha Thomas.
“This collaboration is designed to promote the heritage of our institutions. For a shoemaker, sidestepping into dance makes a lot of sense,” he said.
