Two events this week underline the close relationship between fashion and costume design: The first was Gucci’s cinematic runway show on Hollywood Boulevard. The second is the November 6 performance of the Washington National Opera’s concert, “Come Home: A Celebration of Return,” for which Bibhu Mohapatra made the performers’ clothes.
“Come Home” is a tribute to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was an opera buff and patron. The gloves the performers wear nod to one of the Supreme Court justice’s style signatures, but that’s about as literal as the project gets. Featuring highlights from La Traviata, Tosca, and The Girl in 14G, there’s not a single narrative throughline, so Mohapatra’s designs are varied and diverse. “I want them to be who they are as they’re performing these pieces,” he said. “I was given the freedom to make the clothes relatable and optimistic.”
Mohapatra is known for eveningwear with sweeping grandeur, and the dresses he’s designed for the female performers wouldn’t look out of place on the runway. Shoulder details are a focus: Alexandria Shiner will wear a bold red gown with a draped detail suspended from a high collar; a similar effect, created using a halter, will appear on Rehanna Thelwell’s empire-waist gown. For Isabel Leonard, he made a black gown with red and white detailing and winglike sleeves.
The designer received the request from Francesca Zambello, Washington National Opera’s artistic director, when he was traveling India. His references to the dress and textile traditions of his home country are particularly evident in the menswear looks, which include updated traditional silhouettes (long jackets or vests with pants). For singer Christian Van Horn, there’s a vibrant red suit and a pink blouse with a neckline adapted from the women’s offering. Men usually wear “very tailored European” tuxedos to perform in, explained Mohapatra, but “I wanted to bring a little bit of who I am. It’s an American dream coming true to be able to be part of this project, to be able to express myself with my craft…I want to acknowledge that I am Asian. I am from India, and I’m trained there, and I decided to bring in my cultural references and nuances.”